NOURISHING THE NEXT GENERATION: INDIA’S FIGHT AGAINST CHILD MALNUTITION
AUTHOR – R. DEVADARSHINI, STUDENT AT MADURAI GOVERNMENT LAW COLLEGE
BEST CITATION – R. DEVADARSHINI, NOURISHING THE NEXT GENERATION: INDIA’S FIGHT AGAINST CHILD MALNUTITION, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (14) OF 2025, PG. 787-796, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344. DOI – https://doi.org/10.65393/WZOV5402
ABSTRACT
For a healthy development of children, balanced died is a significant factor. Good and proper nutrition helps the children to fuel their body. Lack of proper nutrition is the primary cause of malnutrition. According to the World Health Organisation, Malnutrition refers to deficiencies or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy or nutrients. The Children’s right to Nutrition is recognised universally by various International conventions like United Nation Convention on Right of Child 1989. In India, certain constitutional Articles protects the right of children against malnutrition such as Article 21 which protects right to adequate food and Article 47 which mandates the State to provide early childhood care. Child Malnutrition continues to be a challenge for India to surmount. It is significant to reduce the malnutrition among the children because of the impact it creates on child’s physical and emotional well-being. Some of the profound effects on child due to this malnutrition are emotional distress, impaired cognitive development, mental health disorders and social challenges. Various Government initiatives was introduced by the Government of India to surmount the crisis of child malnutrition. Some of the key initiatives are ICDS Scheme, PM POSHAN 2.0, POSHAN ABHIYAAN, MID-DAY MEAL scheme, SWACHH BHARAT MISSION. Albeit introducing several malnutrition free initiatives, still the child malnutrition is a growing crisis in India. Though the child malnutrition is a challenge in India but According to the latest Poshan Tracker Data, which shows lower rate of stunting, wasting and underweight among children as compared to NFHS-5 survey. This paper aims to study on the India’s progress on child malnutrition, key initiatives introduced by Government to preclude this growing crisis and analyses about the rights of children against malnutrition.
KEYWORDS – Child Malnutrition, WHO, Rights, Progress, PM Poshan