NETWORKING AND ADVOCACY Advocacy Campaigns for Childs Rights

NETWORKING AND ADVOCACY Advocacy Campaigns for Child’s Rights

Structure • Child’s Rights – Introduction • International Advocacy Campaigns – Some cases • Indian Scenario • Government’s initiatives • Conclusion

Child’s Rights - Introduction

Legal Definition of Child • The Convention on the Rights of the child defines a child as "every human being below the age of 18 years unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier".

Article 5 of the CRC states • States Parties shall respect the responsibilities, rights and duties of parents or members of the extended family or community as provided for by local custom, legal guardians or other persons legally responsible for the child. • To provide in a manner consistent with the evolving capacities of the child, appropriate direction and guidance in the exercise by the child of the rights recognized in the present Convention. • CRC Monitors and ratify the Convention. • Monitors implementation of the optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict and optional protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

Declaration by Geneva (23 rd Feb, 1923) • The child must be given the means requisite for its normal development, both materially and spiritually. • The child that is hungry must be fed, the child that is sick must be nursed, the child that is backward must be helped, the delinquent child must be reclaimed, and the orphan and the waif must be sheltered and succored. • The child must be the first to receive relief in times of distress. • The child must be put in a position to earn a livelihood, and must be protected against every form of exploitation • The child must be brought up in the consciousness that its talents must be devoted to the service of its fellow men.

Major issues related to Child’s Rights • • • Child Labor Child Soldier and Children affected by war Health and Nutrition problem Education Security

Child Rights Advocacy at International Level

Cases – Advocacy Campaigns • Anti-Slavery International banned - Child camel jockeys in the UAE • UNICEF advocacy campaign on AIDS awareness programme • ICC Twenty 20 cricket contest goes to bat against AIDS • Girl’s education campaign in Somaliland • Advocacy for child abuse- Africa • On-going Programmes at ANPPCAN Liberia

Case of ANPPCAN Advocacy Programme • Advocacy and social mobilization at all levels (household, community, regional and policy) using all available channels and in collaboration with all partners. • Using children as spokespeople for the campaign to highlight the importance of basic education, particularly for girls. • Supporting school rehabilitation/construction and creation of child friendly learning environments based on the existing criteria currently accepted by all partners. • Using tents as classrooms, as a temporary measure, where no structures exist.

• Using monetary and in-kind inputs (free uniforms and school fees for girls, teacher incentives/salaries). • Supporting local authorities in increasing the number of female teachers and providing salary incentives. • local media channels, school drama/poetry presentations, public education/meetings forums, tea kiosks, Mosque prayers. • These programmes developed to target the general population, local leaders, policy makers, parents, sheikhs, youth and children, including the hard to reach groups such as teenage mothers and nomadic populations.

Child’s Rights – Indian Scenario

Statistics highlighting Various Issues in India • Almost 100 million children in India are out of school, despite the proactive stand by the government and the successful implementation of the Education for All programmes. • Nearly 35 million children are homeless. • More than four lakh children in India are reported to be victims of commercial sexual exploitation. In Delhi alone, nearly four to five lakh children live on the streets, 53 % of young children suffer from malnutrition and 33 % of the 6 -14 age group are deprived of schooling. • The total crime against children showed a rising trend from 1999 to 2001, as 4, 957 cases were registered in 1999 as against 6, 087 cases in 2001.

• Incidence of kidnapping and abduction of children was around 700 in 1999 and 2000, which suddenly rose to 2, 845 & 2, 322 in 2001 and 2002 respectively and again went down to 765 in 2003. • The highest number of cases of kidnapping and abduction of children was reported from Maharashtra and Gujarat. • Cases of procuration of minor girls increased by 37. 9% in 2003 (171) compared to 124 in 2002. The highest number of cases was reported from Bihar (47). Source: National Child Abuse Study by PRAYAS.

Major actors advocating Child Rights in India • • Government International players International Funding agencies NGO’s Social Activists Corporate Media Citizens

• Government: welfare approach to convergent/integrated rights-based approach to ensure the survival, development, protection and participation of children. • International Policies: Affect of liberalization and privatization on children • International Funding agencies: CCF, World Vision, Save the children etc. • NGOs: implementing programs

• Corporate: Case of Unilever & Monsanto 25, 000 children, mostly girls, work an average of ten to thirteen hours a day for Hindustan Lever, while around 17, 000 children work for Monsanto and its Indian subsidiary Mahyco. They get no education, earn less than Rs. 20 a day and are exposed to poisonous pesticides like Endosulphan during their work. European Campaign: 'Stop Child Labour - School is the Best Place to Work' in Germany

Tools for analysis… Importance Media GOI Funding CSR Corporate Negative Positive NGO

Adopted Modes of Advocacy • • • Bal Panchayat Holding public hearing and conventions Discussion on Government Bill Signature Campaign Fund raising campaigns Contribution from children

• ASHA: The Work an Hour theme for 2007 - "Better Schools. Better Retention Rates. Decreased Child Labor. “ • WAH is a global fundraising campaign • Participants are asked to “Work an Hour” towards the cause of children's education by donating an hour's worth or more of their salary.

Campaigns By NGO’s • Power of 10 : Health Campaign by Nandi Foundation • The scheme invites employees to permit a direct deduction from their salaries of just Rs 10 from their monthly salary to and donate it to children's cause. • It encourages people to volunteer time either during the week or weekends • People have become an integral part of the campaign

Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) and its prevention have become major problems in all countries, particularly in India, with the absence of specific laws against CSA and the lack of awareness on the subject. CSA can occur both within families, social groups and in underprivileged situations, such as in orphanages. The abuse of children by tourists also falls under CSA.

Case of an Organisation working for security of child – • Tulir (Chennai based), estd. In 2002 • Tulir meaning Tender leaves (symbolising children and belief in the resilience and resurgence of human activity) • World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse (November 19) in Geneva • covered around 40 private schools in Chennai • Participation with Municipality schools

Government’s Initiatives

Activities under taken during Five Year Plan • Fifth five year Plan: Integration of services • Sixth Five-Year Plan: Strengthened child development • Eighth five year: Human development through advocacy, mobilization and community empowerment • Ninth five year plan: Government declared its commitment to every child • Tenth Five-Year Plan: Convergent/integrated rights-based approach to ensure the survival, development, protection and participation of children.

Government’s Initiatives on Advocacy • Eleven workshops on dissemination of information on CRC • Focus on priority issues – 1. Commitment by the Prime Minister on independence Day to a scheme for elimination of child labour from hazardous industries 2. The Andhra Pradesh Judicial Academy held a Workshop on Elimination of Child Labour and the CRC 3. Chiefs of Police of nine major cities met in Bangalore and resolved to include children's issues in the training of police personnel. 4. Workshops on the implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act were organized for groups of judicial officers and lawyers

• Networking Children's rights appear to be catching the imagination of the people in different parts of the country. Associations for Rights of Children (ARC) have been formed in some parts of the country. • Working with media – 1. All India Radio has planned a fifteen-episode serial on children's rights in the four major Hindi speaking States. 2. Media interventions on children's rights have also included special issues of Nai Disha (Hindi newspaper) and Tamasha (children's magazine) on CRC.

Conclusion India has been a major supporter of child’s rights and CRC but still it has not been able to achieve to irradiate child related basic issues. Consistent efforts are needed in right direction. Securing child rights is not the matter to be dealt only at the policy level. People have to be mobilized to this cause.

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