Need to create mass movement around children

Central Chronicle, Aug 2, 2007

Bhopal, Aug 1: A three-day regional consultation towards preparation of India's country report on the Convention on the Rights of the Child began today at Bhopal. India's Country Report will have state government and this workshop is part of the process to collate the inputs and trigger the process in states. India has signed this international convention in year 1992 and is one of the most signed treaties in the world.

The same is being organised by Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, with support from State's Women and Child Development department Government of Madhya Pradesh. More than fifty Participants from civil society and State Government from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Dadar & Nagar Haveli, and Rajasthan are participating in this three-day meet.

Jabbar Dhakwala, Additional Secretary, Department of Social Justice Government of Madhya Pradesh spoke on the objectives of the workshop and state's commitment to provide support to the reporting process by India. He also spoke about key challenges which state is facing as regards to children. He welcomed the participants from outside the state

Dr Hamid El Bashir, State Representative, UNICEF office for Madhya Pradesh, said that society needs to lead the change process and could lead the thinking of the government as well. Children have unmet rights in Madhya Pradesh and we need a holistic approach when we talk of child's rights. We need to create a mass movement around children for making that happen. Madhya Pradesh State need's to strengthen the child rights monitoring and take into account child views when we decide for children view. When we decide not to include children in fact we are missing important members of the society.

Karuna Bishnoi Chief of Communication UNICEF Delhi spoke about the reporting guidelines of the state, and what are the expectations from the state for the county Report. She said we need to take into account the concluding observations as provided by the UN committee on the Child Rights Convention. She said that it is India's third country report. UNICEF will be supporting the process of reporting by Government of India on its progress in implementing the Convention on the Rights of the child.

Participants later in the day had thematic group discussions on the issue of education and health around the articles on the conventions. Dr Manohar Agnani Director Rajya Shiksha Kendra, CK Reejonia, Under Secretary Women and Child Development Government India, Razia Ismail Coordinator of India Alliance for Child rights, Anil Gulati UNICEF Communication officer were also present at the workshop.