‘Children hold local governments
accountable’
The
first set of Children’s Grama Sabhas - 2007 underway in Karnataka
The
reports from the first set of Children’s Grama Sabhas 2007 stand testimony to
how a well facilitated process of Children’s Grama Sabhas not only holds the
local government accountable to children and ensures their commitment to
children’s rights, but also has a powerful impact on strengthening local
governance.
The
first Children’s Grama Sabha report is from Halli
Hole, a remote Panchayat of Udupi District, one of
the field programme areas of the Concerned for Working Children. Hundreds of
children took part in this Sabha last week in which the Panchayat reported back
to children about the successful implementation of 19 Programmes that are a
direct result of the issues raised by children during Children’s Grama Sabha -
2006. These include constructions of toilets in schools and improved access to
basic facilities and services, not only for children, but for the entire
community. The President of the Panchayat, Shankar Narayan Chatra, said ‘It is now
absolutely clear to me why children’s participation is essential to strengthen
local governments. Children do not only list their problems, they also describe
the implications of the problems and the importance of addressing them. This
has been extremely useful to us to develop our action plans.’
750
children took part in the Children’s Grama Sabha at Hardalli
Mandalli, also in Udipi
District. After carrying out a huge procession in which children voiced their
issues, they made detailed presentations about a range of demands, including
the need for a community hall for the local high school, water facilities and
toilets for many homes that lack them. Hari Prasad Shetty, the President made a special reference to the high
quality of children’s presentation. He pointed out that “Children have
collected the background data and have presented their issues in a very concise
matter. We are committed to develop actions plans for their problems in
consultation with them.”
Children
and adolescents are critical observers of their own condition and should be
participants in decisions concerning themselves and their lives. A practical
experience of participatory democracy is essential for the moulding
of the ‘new citizen’. They need to understand and prepare for governance and
citizenship and therefore must be enabled to interact in a constructive and
meaningful way with local governments at all levels. For children’s
participation to be truly productive and not just tokenistic the State should
create structures for children to; first of all; access their local governments
that are closest and most accessible to them.
It
may be recalled that Panchayat Raj Ministry, Government of Karnataka issued an
Order (638 – 2007 dated 30.10.2007) which makes it mandatory for all Panchayats
to provide an opportunity for children to articulate their issues directly with
their elected representatives, and emphasises the need for the Panchayats to
report back on the action taken regarding the issues flagged by children is a
very important step in this direction. It is equally important that the State
now conducts systematic capacity building programmes in order to equip the
Panchayats, officials and all civil society groups that will be engaged with
this process to ensure that Children's Grama Sabhas realise their full
potential.
Please
find below the link to a news story published on Friday, November 23, 2007, by:
The Hindu
Fiat
on children’s participation in gram sabhas raises
eyebrows
communities”.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/23/stories/2007112354400600.htm