AP kids better off than rest of India

Hyderabad, Nov. 20: The state fared better than rest of India in terms of the basic parameters of the living standards of children.

The improvement can be seen in decreased child mortality rate, increased access to safe drinking water and better enrolment rate in schools.

Mr Michel Saint Lot, the Unicef representative in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, said, while the mortality rate in India fell from 117 per thousand in 1990 to 72 in 2007, in Andhra Pradesh, the mortality rate came down from 94.2 to 63.2 in the same period.

These statistics were mentioned in the Unicef’s World’s Children Report 2010. The Unicef has translated the report in Telugu and Urdu. The copies of the same were released on Friday by the Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, to mark the 20 years of Convention on the Rights of the Child.

With regard to drinking water, 62 per cent of children in the country had access to safe drinking water in 1992-93. The figure improved to 88 per cent in 2005-06. Andhra Pradesh fared better. Almost 94 per cent kids today have access to safe drinking water here. A decade ago, only 57 per cent children got safe drinking water.

Similarly, the attendance of girls in primary sections also improved a lot in the state. Against the national average of 81 per cent attendance among children of 6-10 years, the state achieved 98.1 per cent average.

The Unicef representative urged the Chief Minister to establish a state commission for the protection of child rights. He said the national commission was set up in March 2007 followed by commissions in five states — Goa, Sikkim, Maharashtra, Delhi and Karnataka.

Mr Saint Lot said there were still many challenges left that needed to be faced like spreading the use of iodised salt, reducing maternal mortality rate and providing better sanitation facilities. The rights of girls still require special attention, he added.