Mukti Organized Discussion Session on Child Rights under ACV Project

Mukti has organized a discussion session on Child Rights under ACV (Amplifying Community Voices) project for the adolescent girls and boys groups at Kuemuri and Heramba Gopalpur villages on 22^nd and 23^rd July 2022. 3 sessions have been arranged by Mukti in association with “OAK Foundation” in these 2 days’ programs. 77 interested adolescent girls and boys from these regions spontaneously participated in the discussion.

The objective of the discussion was to provide a basic notion and information about Child Rights.

At the beginning of the session, they have been explained the difference between demand and needs. They have been instructed to make a list of what they want (they will not have any problem if they do not get those) and what are their needs (If they don’t get any, they will be in great trouble).  They have been helped to figure out the differences between need and demand on the basis of their list. For example, rice is our daily need but Biryani is our demand or need. In this way, their ideas have been cleared about the main elements for a human’s survival. To survive we should protect the things we need. So, we have to ensure our right to protect these elements.

They have been informed of the reasons when the issue of rights arose. People first became aware of rights after World War II because just after World War II State started to snatch some of the essentials of people’s daily life for its own interest. Human Rights Acts have become necessary to ensure the protection of human necessities.

The Child Protection Act has been created after the Human Protection Act. Why the law has been needed? It has been discussed with them why the protection of children has been given special importance and enforced in the law. Children are dependent on their parents. Neither they can’t make their own decisions nor do they have the opportunity to express their opinion everywhere. Therefore, the guardian of the child has a duty or role to protect the rights of the child. The responsibility of protecting the rights of the child is not only of his parents but the society as well as the situation. To make this idea a reality The Child Protection Act has been created in 2005.

the right to a decent standard of living, the right to health, children have the right to be protected from the incidence of abuse, exploitation, violence, neglect, commercial sexual exploitation, trafficking, child labor, and harmful traditional practices to name a few.

Then they were given a fair idea about the Child Protection Act – What are the rights of children irrespective of caste, color, religion –

Right to Survival:

• Right to be born
• Right to minimum standards of food, shelter and clothing
• Right to live with dignity
• Right to health care, safe drinking water, nutritious food, a clean and safe environment, and information to help them stay healthy

Right to Protection:

• Right to be protected from all sorts of violence
• Right to be protected from neglect
• Right to be protected from physical and sexual abuse
• Right to be protected from dangerous drugs

Right to Participation:

• Right to freedom of opinion
• Right to freedom of expression
• Right to freedom of association
• Right to information
• Right to participate in any decision-making that involves him/her directly or indirectly

Right to Development:

• Right to education
• Right to learn
• Right to relax and play
• Right to all forms of development – emotional, mental and physical

The participants have been informed about the POSCO Act. The POCSO Act, 2012 tends to protect the child from sexual offenses. The act is gender-neutral and recognizes both girls and a boy as a victim of sexual violence. The complainant can seek justice with the help of this Act with complete anonymity.

They have been asked to write some topics on small pieces of paper and group discussions have been held on which of the child’s rights they felt are being violated. Each explained their respective views on a small piece of paper.

They are made aware of current child protection violations and how they can overcome them.