The Center for Social Action (CSA)
had organized an inter college seminar promoting the rights of a child on the 2nd
and 3rd of September. Our principal, Dr. Lilly David, began the
seminar by emphasizing the importance of sensitizing ourselves with the various
social issues pervading our society. She told us to concentrate not only on the
education of the ‘head’, but on the education of the ‘heart’ as well.
A number of distinguished guests
were present, the first speaker being our Chief Guest, Ms. Neena Nayak, who is
the chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child
Rights (KSCPCR). She gave us certain statistics: 40% of our population consists
of children out of whom 60% are endemically malnourished and generally
neglected. What can we, ordinary students, do to improve their condition and
thus improve society in general? Plenty of things! There are lots of
possibilities out there, some still waiting to be found. For those sitting
around, waiting for an epiphany or divine inspiration to drive-start some internal,
socially relevant force in them, let me pose another question. What must you
do as an Indian for the benefit of our Nation? You must start thinking, talking
and writing about that giant elephant in the room which is poverty and
injustice. You must ask yourselves what you can do to improve ‘the system’, get
into groups and ask each other questions, because as opposed to the phrase
‘familiarity breeds contempt’ in this case indifference and ignorance breeds
contempt and destruction. In addition to this, you can go to Bowring hospital
and try to help the people waiting in those long queues for basic medical care.
You can visit the prison and talk to the people there, some of whom would feel
confused and helpless, eternally thankful for a caring and understanding soul
to talk with. If you happen to witness any violation against the rights of a
child you can write a letter or call the commission. The commission will in turn analyze the
complaint, call both the parties involved and then try to mediate and recommend
compensation to the child or disciplinary action against the offending party.
The Commission also makes unannounced visits to Government services and
programmes and will thus appreciate any feedback you might be able to give on
such.
Mr. Koshy Mattews, a consultant in
Public Affairs, then gave the keynote address. He started with the various
historical perceptions attached to a child, some being: that they are adults in
waiting, savages to be trained and civilized, cheap labour to be exploited,
commodities to be used, etc.- differing from culture to culture. Only in the
late half of the twentieth century has ‘the child’ come into focus with the adoption
of the Convention of Rights of a Child by the UN (1989). This quickly became
the most ratified convention in the history of the UN. According to this convention,
a child had 4 rights-
1) The
right to survival – This includes the right to live, to nutrition, to a family
among others.
2) The
right to development – This covers the rights to education, right to relax and
play, right to protection from dangerous work, etc.
3) The
right to protection- Protection from abuse, child trafficking and other various
evils.
4) The right to participation- Perhaps the most
disputed right. It means giving the child a voice in the decisions that relate
directly to the child.
In our country, the right of a girl
child in particular should be given more attention. Out of every 1000 men there
are 933 women, which is a highly skewed demographic. We are faced with a duty
to broaden our understanding of these rights and defend the same. That includes
boycotting institutions which sponsor child labour, asking any child we see
during the day why he/she is not at school, etc. Children are a huge human
resource and could provide a generous potential demographic dividend in the
future if properly nurtured.
Ms Kalpana, a psychologist, then
proceeded to enlighten us about the psyche of a child in conflict with the law
due to unfortunate circumstances. Adv.
Maya, HRNL, told us a little about the Juvenile Justice Act. Day One of the
seminar ended on a creative note with the making of charts.
Mr. Matttews Philip, the executive
director of SICHREM and NCPCR’s representative to monitor the RTE in Karnataka,
began the second day of the seminar by giving us a brief understanding of child
rights and the Convention on the rights of a child. He convinced us that no
reason, whatsoever, can justify a human rights violation. He gave us numerous
examples as to how child labour entails a lot of violence, such as incidents
where children were branded like cattle, where they were given inhuman and
terrifying punishments for small mistakes. Brinda Adige, the director of Global
Concerns India, spoke to us about trafficking. She showed us a documentary
called ‘Anamika’ featuring talks with various women forced into prostitution
and the trials they go through in order to survive. These women were promised
well paying jobs in the city by people they trusted, and ended up as slaves.
This documentary showed us how cruel human nature can be and shook our faith in
the basic morality that we ascribe to any sentient person. She invited anyone
who notices anything suspicious in the neighbourhood and ties it to the
possibility of trafficking to call her on 9845518138, which will lead to an
investigation of possible trafficking. Mr. Vasudeva Sharma, the executive
director of the Child Rights Trust and member of KSPCR then talked to us about
child labour, how it is manifested and the law and strategies for its
prevention. The Chief Guest was Prof. Ravi Kumar, who is part of the Senior
Council, High court of Karnataka and the Guest of Honour was Mr. Lukose Vallathrai,
an ex-IAS officer.
“Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In
small places, close to home—so close and so small they cannot be seen on any
map of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person... Such are
the places where every man, woman and child seeks equal justice, equal
opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have
meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerned citizen
action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the
larger world.” —Eleanor Roosevelt
- Anjali Philip
2Bcom'A'
- Anjali Philip
2Bcom'A'
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