Investment in children is an investment in human capital

Human capital is intangible, yet the most powerful national asset that determines the character and prosperity of a nation. Civilised, educated, healthy and progressive individuals are determinants of a successful present and a promising future. The nation-state that invests in its human capital prospers and has a positive influence overall.

How do successful nations build strong human capital? What makes people progressive and successful? Abolitionist and statesman, Frederick Douglas said: “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”

The very crux of a powerful nation-state is the quality of character building and education of their young ones. A nation that aspires to lead and inspire will always start at the grassroots level — invests energies, time and effort in the quality upbringing of their youth. Stimulating childhood, effective and responsive parenting, good education, intelligence, skills and competencies, and health and wellbeing contribute to strong human capital.

A happy and stimulating childhood is no small matter. Investing in children yields long-term benefits. With the World Children’s Day being celebrated today (November 20), it is a matter of great responsibility to discuss the importance of investing in our nation’s children — our future.

World Children’s Day was first commemorated in 1954 as Universal Children’s Day. It inspires the comity of the world to create awareness, renew aspirations and intentions, and discuss and plan for every child getting every right. In 1959, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child (General Assembly, 1959) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. World Children’s Day is celebrated each year to demand from stakeholders — from the government to the local community, from parents to policymakers, and from doctors to schoolteachers — for positive and sustainable action to safeguard the rights of each child and to commit to making childhood a joyful experience.

For any nation, the principles and policy should be aligned and geared towards ensuring that every child has every right that nature has ordained. The law of the land should ensure that the rights of each child are secure.

Right to the best start in life: It is each child’s right that the universe manifests care and nurture from conception to birth and beyond. Policy on child development should raise awareness and response of the people, including parents, healthcare providers and the community. The policy should have clear guidelines on quality antenatal and post-natal care, immunisations and nutrition programmes, baby-friendly hospitals and promotion of breastfeeding.

The right to care and nurture, and positive relationships: Every child must receive care from loving and responsive adults. Childhood experiences should be stimulating, and encourage exploration in safe and secure environments. Healthy, reliable and comforting relationships are of the essence.

The right to education: Each child must receive quality education, positive approach in thinking process, and learning experiences to stimulate cognitive function and expand their capacities of intelligence, creativity, life skills and competencies. Every nation’s policy must carefully plan and source sustainable investment into the development of education, vocational training, and career pathways.

The right to good health: Children need good nutrition, balanced meals and plenty of exercise to develop strong bodies and minds. Parents and caregivers must be educated to ensure that their children receive the required nourishment for healthy growth and development. A nation’s policy must dictate action plans for infant and child feeding, promote breastfeeding, and make information and resources available for best possible nutrition and healthcare.

Protection, safety and well-being: Every child must receive unconditional care and safety, ensuring good mental and physical wellbeing. The policy should uphold legislative protection to every child’s rights and dire consequences in the absence thereof.

This discourse may not do justice discussing every child’s right to the best experiences in life. It cannot capture all measures necessary to ensure the quality of childhood. A nation may draw policy, action plans, and then execute them with considerable success, but its strength can only be gauged in the value of nurturing and protecting the future of our children. In the words of late Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa, “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 20^th, 2020.

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