Child Rights Project-Jaunpur

Child Rights Project-Jaunpur

Child Rights Project-Jaunpur

Background and Introduction

Vatsalya is implementing the project ”Protecting Child Rights, particularly the Rights to Education and Protection” with the support of UNICEF in two blocks Khuthan and Suithakala of district Jaunpur in U.P. The project focuses on Child protection issues and is about protecting children from or against any perceived or real danger, or risk to their life with respect to their personhood and childhood, reducing their vulnerability to harmful situations and ensuring that no child falls out of the social security and safety zone and, those who do, receive necessary care, protection and support so as to bring them back into the safety zone. While protection is a right of every child some children are more vulnerable than others and need special attention. The Government recognizes these children as children in difficult circumstances‘, characterized by their specific social, economic and geo-political situations. In addition to providing a safe environment for these children, it is imperative to ensure that all other children also remain protected.

Specific Objectives:

  • To establish and strengthen Child Protection structures in 340 villages of Jaunpur and a civil society alliance at block level which respond and address the local child Protection issues,
  • To enhance knowledge and attitude of families and communities in 340 villages of Suithakala and Khuthan block in the Jaunpur district, for the promotion of Child Rights and the protection of children against violence, exploitation and abuse.
  • To empower Women especially those from socially excluded groups to champion/Promote rights of children and have positive attitude to practice the 10 points child friendly agenda.

Planned Results:

  • 308 child protection committees formed and 4799 CPC members trained in child protection issues. These 308 committees are tracking 80% of the identified child protection issues out of which at least 50% are linked with various social protection schemes. A civil society alliance is also established an partnering with government efforts for creating a protective environment for children in Jaunpur district,
  • 5216 women socially empowered/have positive attitude to practice the 10 points child friendly agenda,
  • 22333 families/households of which at least 50% are socially empowered/have positive attitude to practice the 10 point child friendly agenda.
S.No / Activity / Target / Result Achived 2014 / Impact in Community.
1 / Birth Registration / - / 1171 / Community aware this issue and demand generate about birth registration through by community.
2 / Disable Children Certification / - / 59 / 59 disable children certificate issued support with BRC office.
2 / House hold reached by WG members for counseling / 22333 / 17585 / Which woman cannot participate in meeting any reason so that family aware about child issue through the WG member couseling.
3 / Out of school children identified / No / 432 / 432 out of School children identification through by CPC member and aware their parents about RTE. FA regular contact of their parent When the next session start they enrolled out of school children in school.
4 / Out of school children enrolled / No / 405
5 / Child Marriage Prevented / No / 2 / When the start Block level child protection committee meeting aware the block level officer and they prevented one child marriage and give the all situation information to programme officer same day.
9 / Children’s linked with various social protection schemes / No / 759 / Till date
10 / Village level CPC meeting organised / No / 6137 / Regular activity
11 / Women group meeting organised / No / 6797 / Regular activity
12 / Adolescent girls group meeting / No / 1948 / Regular activity

Progress with Highlights :-

  • The child protection committee members have been well versed with their roles and responsibilities as CPCs and on child protection issues.
  • The CPC members have been involved in tracking of child protection cases and preparation of 308 villages specific action plan for child protection.
  • The Block level child protection committees have taken an initiative to ensure protection of child rights, especially for out of school children’s with regular coordination with village CPCs.
  • The Block level child protection committee members have agreed for block level CPC suggestion box and share complain/Suggestion in Tahseel Divas.
  • 759 Children’s of Khuthan and Suithakala are linked with the social protection schemes
  • The active participation of women PRI member has been initiate.
  • Many womens group members started the participation in Village health & nutrition day and other forums.
  • Women champions used the IEC materials and flip book during the HH visits with the help of field animators.
  • Especially focus on child rights issues HH, pregnant HHs & newborn households.
  • To aware about girls child marriage, child trafficking, child sexual abuse.
  • To create awareness on healthy, hygiene, nutrition, reproductive and sexual health and family and child care.

Meeting’s of Village level child Protection committees:-

Villages child protection committee have been formed out of proposed 340, The CPCs have been organized their meetings on monthly basis. During these meetings, discussions are conducted on the Child labor, role of CPC members, Right to education, child marriage issues relating to child rights, and in order to create a better understanding on the above, the focus is also laid on create friendly enviroment at village level.

Results Achieved:-

  • The CPC members have been well versed with their roles and responsibilities as CPCs and on child protection issues.
  • The CPC members have been involved in tracking of child protection cases and preparation of village specific action plan for child protection.
  • The members of CPC group have been versed on the roles and responsibilities of CPC and child protection issues.

Block child Protection committees:-

Purpose of the meeting to build capacity of the panchayat secretaries on structure of village level child protection committee, child protection issues; child labor, child marriage, child trafficking, child sexual abuse, during meeting discuss the roles and responsibility of village level CPC members.

Block Child Protection Committees (BCPC) conduct regular monthly meetings under the Chairpersonship of the block level elected representative (Head of the Block Committee) with the Block Development Officers (BDOs) as member Secretary to recommend and monitor the implementation of child protection services at block level. The committee includes a member of the DCPS, one ICDS functionary, and representatives of education, health departments and police department, Chairpersons of the Village Level Child Protection Committees as well as respected community members and civil society representatives.

Results Achieved:-

  • The BCPCs have taken an initiative to ensure protection of child rights, especially for out of school children’s with regular coordination with village CPCs.
  • The BCPCs members have agreed for block level CPC suggestion box.
  • Both block child protection committees have been formed in Khuthan & Suithakala in chairpersonship of block pramukh.

Meetings with WG in the interventional villages

In the 336 Villages of 361 WGs have been organized regular meetings in the monthly basis at Village level, The ASHAs/AWWs & female PRI members are regularly participated in Women groups meetings, Maximum no. of places trained group members taking a lead role during these monthly meetings. Household visits by Women champions with using GATHER Approach like children’s who’s families involve in child labor and out of school children’s and does not follow the 10 Points CFA.

Organized Ratri Chaupal

Ratri chaupal organized support with gram pradhan, teachers and community members. Purpose of the activity to build capacity of the pradhan, AWW, ASHA, Teachers and community members on structure of village level child protection committee, child protection issues; child labor, child marriage, child trafficking, child sexual abuse, during meeting discuss the roles and responsibility of village level CPC members.

Celebration of School Chalo Abhiyaan

School Chalo Abhiyaan is celebrated on April 15 to May 31 for enrollment of children in primary schools to implement their Right to Education Act (RTE). The department of primary education is targeting 100% enrollment of children in the age group of 6-14 years, who are entitled to free and compulsory education under the Act. The campaign is running with the aim of enrolling students, especially out-of-school children. The campaign began with an awareness rally and community meetings. This campaign included door-to-door meetings of teachers and shiksha mitras (para teachers) with parents and children. According to the direct, each school has been told to hold a meeting of its management committee and draw up a detailed plan for the campaign in the first two weeks of April. Additionally, the management committees have been instructed to get a list of children above the age of five years from the respective Anganwadi workers. This will help them identify such houses in the region, where children of 6-14 years age group are either out of school or irregular in schools. We have successfully completed planned activities on School Chalo Abhiyaan.

Celebration of world Breast feeding week

The World breast feeding week is celebrated annually around the globe in the 1Aug to 7 Aug 2014. Under the vision of Child Rights Project was celebrated in two blocks of district Jaunpur Uttar Pradesh. Under the theme, “BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT: CLOSE TO MOTHERS”

Celebration of children’s day

In India, Children's day is celebrated on the 14th November every year. As a tribute Children's Day is celebrated on the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru's birthday. Lovingly called "Chacha Nehru" which means Uncle Nehru by the kids, Jawaharlal Nehru gave emphasis to the significance of giving love and affection to children, who are the bright future of India. The main purpose of this day is to encourage the welfare of children all over the country. The first ever Children's day was celebrated in 1954. The idea of a universal Children's Day was suggested by Mr. V.K. Krishna Menon and it adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. At first it was celebrated universally in the month of October. After 1959, November 20th was chosen as Children's day as it marked the anniversary day when the Declaration of the Child Rights was adopted by the U.N. General Assembly. In 1989 the Convention on the Rights of the Child was also signed on the same date. However, in India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's birthday was declared as Children's Day and is celebrated annually to cherish his love and attachment for children

Celebration of International Day of the Girl Child -11 October

The International Day of the Girl Child is celebrated annually around the globe in the 11 Oct 2014. Under the vision of Child Rights Project was celebrated in two blocks of district Jaunpur Uttar Pradesh. Under the…

Theme, “Innovating for Girls’ Education”

Case Study

1-Say no to child labour…..

Rajendra (Name changed), an 8 year child from Kokana village of Khuthan block worked in a tea shop to support his mother and fulfill the basic needs of the family. Since his father had left him alone with his mother to spend her life alone, the poor child was forced to work in tea shop and compromise with his studies.

Mr. Ajit Kumar (Vatsalya) during the field visit, when met the child, the incidence came to his knowledge. During his interaction with the child he came to know that he was abandoned from his studies. Post the interaction with the child he met the owner of the shop and acknowledged him with the issues of child right and punishment under the child labor. The owner promised not to engage any child in work and if come across such child, will also connect them with child welfare committee.

Mr. Ajit also met Ms. Geeta Devi (mother of the child) and counseled him on the consequences of child labour. She decided to send Rajendra to school for his studies. The child is enrolled in private school.

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Case Study- Girl saved against sexual abuse

Child Sexual abuse in India is often a hidden phenomenon especially when it happens in the home or by family members. Focus with regards to abuse has generally been in the more public domain such as, child marriage, etc. Intra-family abuse or abuse that takes place in institutions such as schools or government homes has received minimal attention. This may be due to the structure of family in India and the role children have in this structure. Children in India are often highly dependent on their parents and elders; they continue to have submissive and obedient roles towards their parents even after they have moved out of their parental home. This belief that parents and family are the sole caretaker of the child has proved to have negative effects on child protection laws and strategies. Numbers of cases of child abuse in the home are hard to attain because most of these crimes go unreported. Societal abuses that are a result of poverty such as malnutrition, lack of education, poor health, neglect, etc are recognized in various forms by the Indian legal system. Rinku (name changed), 16 year adolescent girl of Chhataikalan, Block Khuthan, District Jaunpur was a member of adolescent group. She is an active member of the group and participate all the meetings. In the month of July and repeatedly in September Rakesh (Name changed), a political person tried to assault her sexually. But he was not successful in his action as Rinku’s mother was with her. As the girl was continuously participating in the meeting and was aware of child protection issues, so they met members of child protection committee and communicated them the entire incident. Post which the case was shared with Child rights project worker and child protection officer, Jaunpur. With the help of Mr. Chandan Rai (CPO) SP, Jaunpur & President of CWC, Jaunpur was also shared the case. The SP instructed SHO Shahganj to file an FIR. After that SHO Shahganj registered the FIR but no action was taken by police against him.

When there was no action taken by police then the copy of FIR was send to President of National Women Commission New Delhi, President of State Women Commission Lucknow and President of Child Protection Commission.

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Community targeted the father who was selling his daughter in the name of “Marriage”

In India, according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2005-2006, 47% i.e. nearly half of all young women, marry before the age of 18. The situation is even more acute in rural areas though child marriage has declined slightly in nearly all states. However, the pace of change is slow and child marriage rates remain unacceptable throughout the country. Every year thousand of girls are forcefully sold in the name of marriage by their parents just for securing their own future with the ransom money received by the man and his family in return of the girl. According to NCRB – 2012 under Prohibiting Child Marriage Act 2006 113 cases of child marriage were registered in India out of which 5 were from Uttar Pradesh.

It will be a shame to call this heinous crime as marriage because it is simply selling of the girl child as the man after purchasing this girl will molest her at tender age and the girl will end up being so horrified with the custom of marriage that she will dare not enter the institution again. Realising this grim reality members from child protection committee in Fatehgarh village in Kuthan Block of Jaunpur district in UP protected “Rani” a 14 years old dalit girl from her own father Ramlal who was ostensibly forcing her to marry Mahesh who was a 35 years old businessman as well as handicap (ek aank se kaana) just for a sake of Rs. 30000. The matter of fact is that this incident took place in a village which is in close proximity to the main block headquarter of the district i.e. only 7 km far off. Most of the people in this village belong to SC (26%) & OBC (23%) as well as are dependent on agriculture for their livelihood.

Child marriage is ‘a way of life for people who practice it’. Though there is awareness that it is a crime; there exists ‘sanctity’ to this ‘social norm’, and clubbed with individual family situations, the practice continues. Attempts to break ‘the practice’ have chances of counter resistance, preventing people from intervening. Yet there is a need to become sensitive to the nature and complexity of this norm, and strategize accordingly for instance the CPC members in Fatehgarh village when came to know about an unpleasant incident i.e. “Rani’s Marriage” through Suresh who is a CPC member when Mahesh “Rani’s husband” had come from Meerut to take her on 25th of August, 2013 they protested and saved her.

At first instance Suresh (CPC member) and Sunita AWW went to Ramlal (Rani’s Father) and Mahesh (Rani’s Husband) to explain them not to do this heinous act but when they realised that they are not convincing as Ramlal was making excuses and telling people that “it is his own family matter and others should stay out of it”; Suresh and Sunita collected all the CPC members along with local community leaders and went to safeguard Rani, a motherless child. The collective mob pressure they saved Rani but these are small ripples in the ocean because it is through community participation and sensitization Rani was protected in a small village where CPC members were sensitized and were active but all the girls in our country are not so blessed. It is true that percentage of child marriage has dropped over the years but still this institution exists. We need people like Suresh and Sunita who can come forward and join their hands to protect violation of child rights and this can happen only when strong structure like Child Protection Committees etc are in place.