Children hold us accountable

"Children have organised themselves and have actively presented their issues. This has created a high level of awareness among us, the elected representatives and the government officials present here. What is even more important is that it has brought to the forefront, our accountability to children" said Sri. Vasanth Saliyana, District Minister, Udipi. He presided over the Taluk Level Task Force[1] Meeting of the Makkala Panchayat Toofan[2] Programme. At this meeting, representatives of children from all the five Toofan Panchayats in the Taluk, listed their problems and their recommendations. They had consolidated these through a series of consultations in their respective areas.

When Manjula, the State President of Bhima Sangha[3] made a request for permanent structures to be set up for children to take part in governance, the Minister said "I have total appreciation for the Makkala Panchayat Toofan programme which has facilitated children to form their own Panchayats (Councils) through which they are able to work jointly with the adult Panchayats to address their issues. Similar structures are required, not only in Udipi Taluk, but in the entire State of Karnataka. I will advocate for this".

Responding to the issue of child marriages raised by children, he said "In order to prevent child marriages, the State Government has decided to set up Taluk Level advisory committees. I endorse your request for children to be members of that committee and I will raise it with the concerned department".

The other issues raised by children included lack of basic facilities such as drinking water and drainage, non-availability of appropriate educational facilities, alcohol abuse and scarcity of fish in the sea due to water pollution and prawn culture. Through traditional, folk and contemporary media such as skits, folk dances, mime and role plays, they made forceful presentations to their audience.

More than 500 adults and children, took part in this programme which was organised by the Concerned for Working Children (CWC).[4] The audience represented children's organisations, elected representatives, Government officials, Makkala Mitras, women's organisations and media persons.

[1] A tripartite body, devised by CWC, comprising of children's representatives; government officials and elected representatives; and community based organisations. This body was set up link the Makkala Panchayat with the Gram Panchayat and focuses primarily on issues related to children that are raised by the Makkala Panchayat.

[2] This is a programme of comprehensive development implemented by CWC with primary focus on the empowerment of children.

[3] A union of, by and for working children in Karnataka facilitated by the Concerned for Working Children, with a membership of over 20,000, striving for the realisation of child rights.

[4] The Concerned for Working Children (CWC) is a secular and democratic development agency committed to the empowerment of children, especially working and other marginalised children and their communities through their participation in decision making and governance on all matters that concern them.

For more information, contact:

Kavita Ratna

Director - Communications

The Concerned for Working Children

303/2, L B Shastri Nagar Vimanapura Post

Bangalore 560 017

Karnataka

India

Tel.: 0091-80-5234611

Fax: 0091-80-5234258

cwcblr@vsnl.com

CWC site