Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Rights at the centre: On children’s right to protect their genetic information

Rights at the centre: On children’s right to protect their genetic information

The interest (दिलचस्पी) of the child must be the focus always, not just in custody disputes

In 1959, the United Nations General Assembly (संयुक्त राष्ट्र महासभा) adopted (accept, embrace, validate, ratify, assume, endorse) the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, the first charter of its kind (अपनी तरह की) ensuring basic rights to all children below 18 years, with these words: “Mankind (मानवता, मानव जाति) owes to the child the best it can give.” Yet, as is (जैसा कि) well-documented, children, because of their vulnerability (weakness, defencelessness, unprotectedness, susceptibility), often become victims of abuse (गाली देना, दुर्व्यवहार) of power by the very people who are entrusted (सौंपना, प्रदान करना) with their protection. The advancements (प्रगति, उन्नति, विकास) in digital technologies have helped on many fronts (a particular area of activity (or) a particular sphere of operation (or) a particular situation), from registration of births, creating a legal identity (कानूनी पहचान) to health care, but in its forward march (progress, advance, progression, headway, movement), it should not trample (disregard, show no consideration for, treat disrespectfully, treat with contempt) on the rights integral (inherent, inseparable, essential) to a harmonious (सामंजस्यपूर्ण, संतुलित) upbringing (पालन-पोषण) of a child. Leaning on (depend on, rely on) a child’s fundamental right to privacy, the Supreme Court of India has ruled that children cannot be mechanically (automatically, without thinking, casually, carelessly) subjected (force someone or something to undergo something else; put through, treat with, expose to) to DNA tests in each and every case between warring (opposing, conflicting, clashing, fighting) parents as a shortcut (an alternative route) to establishing (स्थापित करना, साबित करें) infidelity (बेवफ़ाई, व्यभिचार). In a petition filed by a man who questioned his second child’s paternity, Justices V. Ramasubramanian and B.V. Nagarathna observed that genetic (आनुवंशिक) information sheds light on (explain, elucidate, clarify, clear up) a person’s essence, going to the very heart of who she or he is. This “intimate, personal information” is part of a child’s fundamental right, the Court said. Children have the right, it pointed out (identify, draw attention to, indicate, specify, mention), not to have their legitimacy (वैधता, तर्कसंगतता) questioned frivolously (in a way by which something is having no serious, sensible, useful purpose or value and it will also be a waste of time; insignificantly, senselessly, thoughtlessly, irresponsibly, non-seriously, empty-headedly) before a court of law.

Directing courts to acknowledge (accept, recognize, realize) that children must not be regarded as material (physical, mundane, tangible, worldly) objects (thing, item), and that they be subjected to forensic (relating to the application of scientific knowledge & methods to legal problems and legal proceedings)/DNA testing only as a last resort particularly when they are not parties to a divorce proceeding (course of action, operation, process, procedure), Justice Nagarathna observed that it is imperative (vitally important, vital, essential, crucial, key) that children do not become the focal point of the battle between spouses (husband, wife, partner). While this is a welcome (pleasing, agreeable, heartening, promising, much needed) move (measure, action, initiative, step), a reading (interpretation, construal, understanding, analysis) of the 1989 United Nations’ Convention (treaty, agreement, accord, protocol, pact, deal) on the Rights of the Child shows that there are miles to go (have to do a lot of work to achieve something) before every child in India is guaranteed “special care and assistance”. Too many childhoods are cut short (hinder, interrupt disrupt, shorten, truncate), and the maxim ‘every child has every right’ often forgotten. India ratified the Convention in 1992 and over the years several laws have been enacted to protect the rights of children though their implementation (imposition, enforcement, execution, carrying out) has often been dodgy (dubious/suspicious, risky/high-risk, unsafe/unsecure), failing to shield them from abuse, violence, exploitation (misuse, ill treatment, unfair treatment, victimization) or neglect (abandonment, betrayal, rejection, lack of care/concern). The principle of best interest of the child must be at the centre of every aspect of social behaviour and not just in custody disputes.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.genetic (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - आनुवंशिक
English Meaning - relating to genes/genetics.

2.interest (noun)

Hindi Meaning - दिलचस्पी
English Meaning - common concerns.

3.United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संयुक्त राष्ट्र महासभा
English Meaning - it is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, serving as the main deliberative, policy-making, and representative organ of the UN. Its powers, composition, functions, and procedures are set out in Chapter IV of the United Nations Charter.

4.of its kind (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - अपनी तरह की
English Meaning - used to describe something that is the only one of its type; of the same type.

5.mankind (noun)

Hindi Meaning - मानवता, मानव जाति
English Meaning - human beings.

6.as is (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - जैसा कि
English Meaning - as it is, as it turns out, as it stands.

7.abuse (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गाली देना, दुर्व्यवहार
English Meaning - mistreatment, ill treatment, oppression, persecution.

8.entrust (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सौंपना, प्रदान करना
English Meaning - assign, confer on, bestow on, vest in, invest in, give responsibility for.

9.advancement (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रगति, उन्नति, विकास
English Meaning - development, growth, evolution, progress, improvement.

10.legal identity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कानूनी पहचान
English Meaning - it is defined as the basic characteristics/qualities/traits of an individual’s identity. e.g. name, sex, place and date of birth conferred through registration and the issuance of a certificate by an authorized civil registration authority following the occurrence of birth.

11.harmonious (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सामंजस्यपूर्ण, संतुलित
English Meaning - coordinated, balanced, proportional, compatible; agreeable, cooperative.

12.upbringing (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पालन-पोषण
English Meaning - raising, bringing up, fostering/rearing, care and training (of young children).

13.establish (verb)

Hindi Meaning - स्थापित करना, साबित करें
English Meaning - prove, demonstrate, determine, validate, verify.

14.infidelity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बेवफ़ाई, व्यभिचार
English Meaning - unfaithfulness, adultery, extramarital relations/sex.

15.legitimacy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - वैधता, तर्कसंगतता
English Meaning - reasonableness, justification, validity.

16.(be) at the centre of (phrase)

English Meaning - be (the) main cause/subject of something.

17.adopt (verb)

English Meaning - accept, embrace, validate, ratify, assume, endorse.

18.Declaration of the Rights of the Child (noun)

English Meaning - In 1959, the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, which defines children’s rights to protection, education, health care, shelter, and good nutrition. It is sometimes known as the Geneva Declaration of the Rights of the Child.

19.charter (noun)

English Meaning - constitution, canon, body of law, system of rules.

20.owe (verb)

English Meaning - be indebted (to), be under a moral obligation to give someone something.

21.vulnerability (noun)

English Meaning - weakness, defencelessness, unprotectedness, susceptibility.

22.front (noun)

English Meaning - a particular area of activity (or) a particular sphere of operation (or) a particular situation.

23.identity (noun)

English Meaning - identification, recognition; individuality, originality.

24.march (noun)

English Meaning - progress, advance, progression, headway, movement.

25.trample (on) (verb)

English Meaning - disregard, show no consideration for, treat disrespectfully, treat with contempt.

26.integral (adjective)

English Meaning - inherent, inseparable, essential.

27.lean on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - depend on, rely on.

28.mechanically (adverb)

English Meaning - automatically, without thinking, casually, carelessly.

29.subject (verb)

English Meaning - force someone or something to undergo something else; put through, treat with, expose to.

30.Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) (noun)

English Meaning - DNA is an important biological macromolecule (nucleic acid) that replicates and stores genetic information. It is a blueprint for all genetic information contained within an organism. DNA has two strand structure. DNA is found in the cell’s nucleus.

31.warring (adjective)

English Meaning - opposing, conflicting, clashing, fighting.

32.shortcut (noun)

English Meaning - an alternative route.

33.paternity (noun)

English Meaning - fatherhood; the state of being a father.

34.sheds (throw or cast) light on (phrase)

English Meaning - explain, elucidate, clarify, clear up.

35.intimate (verb)

English Meaning - private, personal, secret.

36.point out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - identify, draw attention to, indicate, specify, mention.

37.frivolously (adverb)

English Meaning - in a way by which something is having no serious, sensible, useful purpose or value and it will also be a waste of time; insignificantly, senselessly, thoughtlessly, irresponsibly, non-seriously, empty-headedly.

38.court of law (noun)

English Meaning - a place where legal trials happen; court, legal court.

39.acknowledge (verb)

English Meaning - accept, recognize, realize.

40.material (adjective)

English Meaning - physical, mundane, tangible, worldly.

41.object (noun)

English Meaning - thing, item.

42.forensic (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the application of scientific knowledge & methods to legal problems and legal proceedings.

43.last resort (noun)

English Meaning - a final course of action when all else has failed; temporary solution, makeshift; ultimate, final, eventual.

44.proceeding (noun)

English Meaning - course of action, operation, process, procedure.

45.imperative (adjective)

English Meaning - vitally important, vital, essential, crucial, key.

46.spouse (noun)

English Meaning - husband, wife, partner.

47.welcome (adjective)

English Meaning - pleasing, agreeable, heartening, promising, much needed.

48.move (noun)

English Meaning - measure, action, initiative, step.

49.reading (noun)

English Meaning - interpretation, construal, understanding, analysis.

50.The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) (noun)

English Meaning - The UNCRC is a legally-binding international agreement setting out the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of every child, regardless of their race, religion or abilities.

51.miles to go (phrase)

English Meaning - have to do a lot of work to achieve something.

52.miles (noun)

English Meaning - a very long way.

53.cut short (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - hinder, interrupt disrupt, shorten, truncate.

54.ratify (verb)

English Meaning - support, approve, uphold, justify.

55.convention (noun)

English Meaning - treaty, agreement, accord, protocol, pact, deal.

56.implementation (noun)

English Meaning - imposition, enforcement, execution, carrying out.