RESPONSE

We at CRT-Child Rights Trust, Bangalore would like to bring to your notice some veracities in the article/news published in your web story titled India, Karnataka: Child participation in local government updated – Monday 21 January 2008 http://www.irc.nl/page/38716

Karnataka Government has issued a circular (not an ORDER) to conduct Child Rights Special Grama Sabhas, wherein children’s issues have to be discussed. The first circular was issued on 18.9.2006. This circular is a result of the efforts of Child Rights Trust, Bangalore which conducted a series of Child Rights Grama Sabhas in Bellary district. The learnings were shared with Mr.Baligar IAS the then Secretary to Government, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Government of Karnataka in August 2006. The meeting under the title MANTHANA gave an opportunity to raise children’s issues to CRT which finally placed before the RDPR that the Grama Panchayats have to take note of the plight of children in the villages. CRT suggested that such meetings wherein Grama Panchayats and all the concerned with children along with children discuss about the vital issues pertaining to children’s survival, protection, development and participation and take decisions to bring in changes in the lives of children. The argument put forth before the department was that all the decisions made at global, national or state level with respect to child rights have to be implemented at the local panchayt level and it is important that the GPs also start looking into the affairs by keeping statistical data about the children and take affirmative action. The participation of various representatives of government departments and children will help not only to raise issues but also to take decisions on the matters.

Child Rights Trust, Bangalore has given its experience and know how to RDPR, GOK while developing the idea and the department prepared the circular which was sent to all GPs in Karnataka. Several GPs on their own and some with the support of member organizations of CACL-Campaign Against Child Labour conducted Child Rights Special Grama Sabhas in a very successive manner. CRT conducted several rounds of trainings to NGOs and GPs in making this a success. Several issues pertaining to child health, survival, protection, girl child, disability, schools, anganawadi, immunisation, trafficking of children, play grounds, situation of schools, etc., came up for discussions and the Panchayats have taken affirmative action on many of these issues.

There was some criticism by some organizations to this move and gave some suggestions to improve the idea. CRT along with other organizations conducted a review of the Child Rights Special Grama Sabhas conducted in the state and prepared a set of recommendations. Later on 28.8.2007 second circular was sent by the RDPR reminding all GPs to conduct Child Rights Special Grama Sabhas. On30.10.2007 RDPR issues a third circular on the issue with the title ‘Guidelines to conduct Child Rights Grama Sabhas’. While preparing this CRT and CWC were consulted. The matter was discussed by Mr.Ashraful Hassan, the then Director RDPR. This third circular only strengthened the first circular which was developed with the inputs of CRT.

The following statement needs to be corrected: The first series of special children’s gram sabhas for 2007 have already started, with hundreds of children taking part in a recent sabha in Hallihole, a remote panchayat in Udupi district. After the first circular was issued hundreds of GPs have conducted Grama Sabhas and again in 2007 Grama Sabhas were conducted by several GPs on their own in several districts. This matter is not for anybody to claim that so and so conducted it for the first time or somebody followed the suit. But to put forward the facts that the concept which was developed by CRT was shared with RDPR in 2006 and the process had started much before by enthusiastic GPs.