The State has to respect children's rights and become more responsive to children's needs: " P.G.R. Sindhya, MLA, Kanakpura constituency

In celebration of Child Labour Day on April 30, a 4-day training workshop for Bhima Sangha was conducted. The purpose of the workshop was to provide a core group of children with the necessary skills, information and techniques to reach out to and empower more children in the city.

A cultural programme was organised on the last day. Mr P.G.R. Sindhya, Member of Legislative Assembly, Kanakpura constituency, was the Chief Guest on this occasion. He discussed and interacted with the children about the different issues and educated them about the various strategies in the process of their empowerment. The members of Bhima Sangha presented a list of recommendations to Mr Scindia at the end of the session.

"Listening to Bhima Sangha has been an eye-opening experience. This is an University in itself," said Sindhya, Member. Receiving the recommendations of Bhima Sangha, on the Child Labour Day, Mr. P.G.R. Sindhya said that he would extend his full support to the recommendations and present them at the floor of the Assembly and all appropriate forums.

Recommendations to the State Government by Bhima Sangha

Recommendations to the Department of Women and child welfare:

  1. When a child is taken into the State Observation Home, he/she should have an immediate access to legal assistance from a special panel of Lawyers. (either volunteers or those appointed by the Judges or from the Legal Aid Cell) This will ensure that we are assured of legal and emotional support of a high quality. Such systems exist in other countries such as Canada.
     

  2. Many children are taken into the Observation Homes and Remand Homes for non-criminal reasons. Yet, when they return home, they have to face a lot of humiliation within the family and the community. They do not get jobs. This is because most people equate Remand Homes to Jails. So we recommend that each child who leaves the Remand Homes has to be give a certificate explaining the reasons for which they were placed in the Remand Homes so that they can retain their dignity.
     

  3. Children who leave Remand Homes should also get a certificate for the vocational skill they get in the Home so that it may be useful to them to find jobs in the future.
     

  4. Bhima Sangha would like to receive permission to visit Remand Homes on a regular basis in order to inspect the Remand Homes, provide support to children who are there and help in their rehabilitation. We would also like to recommend that The Concerned for Working Children (CWC) is also give permission to enter the Remand Home to represent children when required and to assist in the rehabilitation.

Recommendations to the Department of Police:

  1. The police should provide protection to children of Bhima Sangha during our programmes if it is required.
     

  2. The Police should visit our areas regularly and talk to children. There are a lot of criminal activities going on in our areas and we can inform them of those. Sometimes the police do not take our complaints seriously. They should accept our complaints. They should also give us information that will be useful to us.
     

  3. The Makkala Sahaya Vani (MSV - 1098) should be publicized more because a lot of children do not know about it yet.

Recommendations to the Department of Labour:

  1. Many Labour Department officials conduct raids in which working children are pulled out for their places of work. They say that they are doing so to implement the Child Labour Act. But pulling us out of work places forcefully and leaving us in very difficult situations is against all our Rights. We insist that working children be consulted before any decision concerning our lives are taken. If some children want to be taken out of their work place, then they should be given all facilities for the immediate present and for their future.
     

  2. The working hours for children who are above the age of 14 years should be appropriate to their age.
     

  3. If the Government enrolls children into schools, they have to make sure that quality of education in those schools is very good.
     

  4. All children should receive salaries appropriate to our work. The Government should make sure that we also have access to all basic facilities like schooling, shelter and food.

Recommendations to the Department of Education:

  1. Working children need schools. Right now many of us are forced to work. But that does not mean that we do not require education. We want schools that work with flexible timings so that we can work and also get schooling.
     

  2. All Government Schools should have facilities like free books, mid-day meals, uniforms, water and toilets.

Recommendations to the City Corporation:

  1. The Corporators of each area must have a meeting with all the working children of their areas once in three months. At these meetings the Corporators should consult us about what we need and also report to us about the actions they have taken regarding our recommendations. Such "Makkala Grama Sabhas" have been taking places in some Panchayats of Karnataka where CWC is presently functioning.
     

  2. All requests and recommendations by children should be received by the corporators and they should be considered as high priority for action.

Recommendations to the Health Department:

1. Many of the areas we live in do not have any government hospitals. (For example, Marath Halli, Banashankari). We need hospitals there. Many of the PHC are not functioning well. We recommend that the Government sets them right. We would like doctors to visit our areas on a regular basis.

In his concluding remark Mr. Scindia said, "Unionisation of children is an effective way to combat the issue of child labour" and applauded Bhima Sangha for their achievements.

These recommendations of Bhima Sangha, presented on the Child Labour Day will be submitted by the Sangha to the Chief Minister, elected representatives and Government Officials in order to improve the quality of live of working children in the city and the State of Karnataka.

With Regards,
Kavita Ratna,
Director Communication

 

 

 

 

Subject: The State has to respect children's rights and become more responsive to children's needs: " P.G.R. Sindhya, MLA, Kanakpura constituency

"Listening to Bhima Sangha has been an eye-opening experience. This is an University in itself" P.G.R. Sindhya, Member of Legislative Assembly, Kanakpura constituency. Receiving the recommendations of Bhima Sangha, on the Child Labour Day, Mr. P.G.R. Sindhya said that he would extend his full support to the recommendations and present them at the floor of the Assembly and all appropriate forums.

Recommendations to the State Government by Bhima Sangha

Recommendations to the Department of Women and child welfare:

  1. When a child is taken into the State Observation Home, he/she should have an immediate access to legal assistance from a special panel of Lawyers. (either volunteers or those appointed by the Judges or from the Legal Aid Cell) This will ensure that we are assured of legal and emotional support of a high quality. Such systems exist in other countries such as Canada.

  2. Many children are taken into the Observation Homes and Remand Homes for non-criminal reasons. Yet, when they return home, they have to face a lot of humiliation within the family and the community. They do not get jobs. This is because most people equate Remand Homes to Jails. So we recommend that each child who leaves the Remand Homes has to be give a certificate explaining the reasons for which they were placed in the Remand Homes so that they can retain their dignity.

  3. Children who leave Remand Homes should also get a certificate for the vocational skill they get in the Home so that it may be useful to them to find jobs in the future.

  4. Bhima Sangha would like to receive permission to visit Remand Homes on a regular basis in order to inspect the Remand Homes, provide support to children who are there and help in their rehabilitation. We would also like to recommend that The Concerned for Working Children (CWC) is also give permission to enter the Remand Home to represent children when required and to assist in the rehabilitation.

Recommendations to the Department of Police:

  1. The police should provide protection to children of Bhima Sangha during our programmes if it is required.

  2. The Police should visit our areas regularly and talk to children. There are a lot of criminal activities going on in our areas and we can inform them of those. Sometimes the police do not take our complaints seriously. They should accept our complaints. They should also give us information that will be useful to us.

  3. The Makkala Sahaya Vani (MSV - 1098) should be publicized more because a lot of children do not know about it yet.

Recommendations to the Department of Labour:

  1. Many Labour Department officials conduct raids in which working children are pulled out for their places of work. They say that they are doing so to implement the Child Labour Act. But pulling us out of work places forcefully and leaving us in very difficult situations is against all our Rights. We insist that working children be consulted before any decision concerning our lives are taken. If some children want to be taken out of their work place, then they should be given all facilities for the immediate present and for their future.

  2. The working hours for children who are above the age of 14 years should be appropriate to their age.

  3. If the Government enrolls children into schools, they have to make sure that quality of education in those schools is very good.

  4. All children should receive salaries appropriate to our work. The Government should make sure that we also have access to all basic facilities like schooling, shelter and food.

Recommendations to the Department of Education:

  1. Working children need schools. Right now many of us are forced to work. But that does not mean that we do not require education. We want schools that work with flexible timings so that we can work and also get schooling.

  2. All Government Schools should have facilities like free books, mid-day meals, uniforms, water and toilets.

Recommendations to the City Corporation:

  1. The Corporators of each area must have a meeting with all the working children of their areas once in three months. At these meetings the Corporators should consult us about what we need and also report to us about the actions they have taken regarding our recommendations. Such "Makkala Grama Sabhas" have been taking places in some Panchayats of Karnataka where CWC is presently functioning.

  2. All requests and recommendations by children should be received by the corporators and they should be considered as high priority for action.

Recommendations to the Health Department:

1. Many of the areas we live in do not have any government hospitals. (For example, Marath Halli, Banashankari). We need hospitals there. Many of the PHC are not functioning well. We recommend that the Government sets them right. We would like doctors to visit our areas on a regular basis.

In his concluding remark Mr. Scindia said, "Unionisation of children is an effective way to combat the issue of child labour" and applauded Bhima Sangha for their achievements.

These recommendations of Bhima Sangha, presented on the Child Labour Day will be submitted by the Sangha to the Chief Minister, elected representatives and Government Officials in order to improve the quality of live of working children in the city and the State of Karnataka.

With Regards,


Kavita Ratna,
Director Communication

 
 

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