A Two day Camp was organised by a Bhopal based Youth Led Organisation Sky Social in association with UNICEF in a small village Jamunia Tank few Kilometers away from Sehore district in Madhya Pradesh. It was for the first time in any UNICEF Camp there were 50 youth participant.
The camp was organised to bring awareness regarding the rights of children through the means of social media so that no child is left out of its rights.
Michael Juma, Chief UNICEF, Madhya Pradesh, highlighted importance of engaging the youth for social cause and said that increasingly ‘youth4children’ strategy has become central pillar for advancing child rights in every spheres. He said in thirty years after signing of CRC, we have achieved a lot but we still have challenges like child marriage, violence against children and fighting under-nutrition.
Apart from that District Collector of Sehore Ajay Gupta spoke on efforts being taken by the district and also on the challenge of declining child sex ratio in the district. Pankaj Chaturvedi, Pawan Deolia also spoke. Anil Gulati, Communication Specialist, UNICEF conducted an activity for the participating youth, to stress how important it is to recognise that all children have all rights at all times. He spoke on the provision, participation and protection rights of children.
Shristi Pragat founder of SkySocial spoke on the challenges children faces, and how important it is to recognise their rights in present times. Dr. Sameer Pawar, Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF enlightened the youth to on the importance of first 1000 days in life of the child. RJ Sukriti from Radio Mirchi Bhopal was also present to show her support for rights for children and also she share a story of a young child being drowned in Bhopal’s Upper lake during recent festival while giving homage to idol.
Social Activities were drawn after that where by participants were divided in groups and certain task were given so as to experience challenges and inquire more being on ground. They drew social maps on the ground of the village whereby highlighting all they saw can help or affect the development of child, using locally available materials like mud, colours, leaves etc.
Participants also interacted with various stakeholders of child rights like School Management Community, Teachers, Anganwadi workers, Asha worker, Gram Panchayat, people in village and most importantly with children to find out the issues they are facing. They also had an interactive sessions prior to end wherein they asked questions about gender, child health, nutrition, school education etc and shared their perspectives.
The two day camp marked closing ceremony by planting the trees with the children.
What is UNCRC?
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is a legally-binding international agreement setting out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of every child, regardless of their race, religion or abilities.
WHAT DOES IT SAY?
The UNCRC consists of 54 articles that set out children’s rights and how governments should work together to make them available to all children.
Under the terms of the convention, governments are required to meet children’s basic needs and help them reach their full potential. Central to this is the acknowledgment that every child has basic fundamental rights. These include the right to:
- Life, survival and development
- Protection from violence, abuse or neglect
- An education that enables children to fulfil their potential
- Be raised by, or have a relationship with, their parents
- Express their opinions and be listened to.
In 2000, two optional protocols were added to the UNCRC. One asks governments to ensure children under the age of 18 are not forcibly recruited into their armed forces. The second calls on states to prohibit child prostitution, child pornography and the sale of children into slavery. These have now been ratified by more than 120 states.
A third optional protocol was added in 2011. This enables children whose rights have been violated to complain directly to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
WHO’S INVOLVED?
Since it was adopted by the United Nations in November 1989, 194 countries have signed up to the UNCRC, with only two countries in the world still to ratify.
All countries that sign up to the UNCRC are bound by international law to ensure it is implemented. This is monitored by the Committee on the Rights of the Child
The UNCRC is also the only international human rights treaty to give non-governmental organisations (NGOs), like Save the Children, a direct role in overseeing its implementation, under Article 45a.
WHOSE IDEA WAS IT?
In fact, the world’s very first declaration on child rights was written by Save the Children founder, Eglantyne Jebb, in 1923.
We’ve been there from the start, fighting for children’s rights.