shaishav child rights
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SHAISHAV CHILD RIGHTS. An introduction. Shaishav. Shaishav, meaning “childhood” in Gujarati, is a voluntary organisation committed to working with underprivileged children in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, since 1994. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
SHAISHAV CHILD RIGHTSAn introduction
ShaishavShaishav, meaning “childhood” in Gujarati, is a voluntary organisation committed to working with underprivileged children in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, since 1994
“We are guilty of many error’s and many faults but our worst
crime is abandoning the children, neglecting the
fountain of life. Many of the things we need can wait. The child cannot wait. Right now is the time his bones are being
formed, his blood being made, and his senses are being
developed. To him we cannot answer ‘tomorrow’. His name is
‘Today’”.
-Gabriela Mistral (Nobel Prize Winner)
Why work with children?
We believe that children are the foundation of any healthy, developed society
Social change will be more effectively encouraged if it is from the ground up
Children form one of the most vulnerable and neglected sections of society
Children are disenfranchised and politically weak, they have few resources to drive change themselves.
Children are ready to learn Children are young and can become the catalyst for
sustained and lasting change
Why work with child labourers?
Child labourers make up the largest section of underprivileged children
India has the largest number of child labourers in the world
Why work in Bhavnagar? There were no other organisations in Bhavnagar, or indeed the
Saurashtra region, consistently working on child-related issues from a rights based perspective
Education is one of the most powerful means to eradicate child labour. Bhavnagar had a rich history of innovation in education prior to independence.
Bhavnagar can become a medium sized child-centred model town where policies can be influenced and replication is much wider and easier
Bhavnagar is first step for migrants from the surrounding area and with effort we can prevent further migration to metropolises
1995 Survey of Child Labour in Bhavnagar
In 1995 we conducted a survey in Bhavnagar and identified 12,813 child labourers in the city working in 106 occupations
68% of these children had never attended school Of the 32% who had attended school, 79% had left before
completing 7th standard before age 12 80% of child labourers began working under the age of 14 60% of child labourers worked between 8 and 12 hours per
day 50% of child labourers earned less than Rs. 500 per month The majority of working children are living in the
Kumbharwada area, Bhavnagar’s largest slum community
Betel Nut Cutting
Plastic Bag Cleaning
Baking Plastics
We believe that...A child is innocent and pure
… a symbol of love, strength and happiness… endless, deep and free
… a source of life
Healthy children=
Healthy adults=
Healthy society
Vision & Goals
Shaishav believes that all children should enjoy basic rights and experience the joys of childhood equally
Shaishav strives to: Ensure that all children achieve the basic right to free
and compulsory education Create a child centred environment and provide
opportunities where children and youth can realise their basic rights
Develop learning resources for children and make them available to all those who can influence children’s holistic development
Themes and areas.
Programmes
Programme Structure
Shaishav
Community Action for
Child Rights
Balghar
CBOsBalsena, Tarunsena, Lok Samarthan Manch, Baldost Manch, Area Committees
Area Resource Centre
Child Rights Training and
Resource Centre
Material Development, Training, Documentation, Research, Advocacy, Mobile Resource Centre, Setu
Balsena Balsena means “children’s collective”
and is the first of its kind in Gujarat Founded in 2002 upon the principles of
equality and unity for all, regardless of gender, caste, class or religion
Run and managed by the children themselves
Organised into 60 teams across Bhavnagar with a total membership of 2437 children (1443 boys and 994 girls), aged 6-18
Teams organise monthly meetings and activities to work together to tackle problems at home, school or in the community
Balsena Programmes Balsena Point – Launched in response to the communal violence that
occurred across Gujarat in 2002, with the theme “Play together, Stay together”. 42 of these centres are operating in slum areas, and a further 18 in schools
Savings Bank – Enabling children to save money independently, and giving them skills in financial responsibility and decision-making. As of May 2011, 1134 children had saved 631,915 rupees (over US$14,000)
Book Bank – Implemented in response to the lack of appropriate educational materials. It provides Balsena and Balghar members with access to textbooks and other learning materials, in three different centres.
Adolescent Programme – More than 300 girls and boys are provided with extra training and support in small groups, helping them develop self-confidence through activities that enhance empowerment
Events – Balsena members participate in common programmes throughout the year, such as Leadership Camp and Vacation Camp, where they receive training and participate in activities
Tarunsena Youth collective established in 2008 to
provide a platform for those who have graduated from Balsena
Approximately 60 members Members work together to tackle
children’s community issues, as well as providing guidance and support for Balsena
Balghar Community based resource centres
located in the most deprived areas of the city
Provide educational and other development activities to enhance children’s holistic development
Serve as a stop-gap arrangement for non-school going children and those engaged in labour, to help them enter and remain in mainstream education
Is a shared space for all children where they have the opportunity to realise their potentials and improve their holistic development
Support Forums Change in the status of children can only
be sustainable through community action and ownership
Lok Samarthan Manch – literally “people’s support forum,” comprised of adults belonging to the same underprivileged communities that Shaishav works in
Baldost Manch – literally “forum of children’s friends,” made up of enlightened citizens of Bhavnagar who wish to contribute to the local child rights movement
Area Committees – being established so that representatives of Balsena, Tarunsena, Lok Samarthan Manch, & Baldost Manch form executive bodies to plan and direct local action
School Management Committees – Established by the Indian Government in accordance with the RTE Act, giving parents the ability to help enforce the act and monitor schools, for which Shaishav will provide support and guidance
Area Resource Centres Currently provide:
English Language Courses Computer Training in collaboration with the NASSCOM
foundation Libraries for children 2 of the 3 Book Banks
In the future will provide life skills training to encourage children to become more independent and entrepreneurial
Finally, aim to provide local people with information on government schemes, benefits, and support options
Child Rights Training and Resource Centre
Serves to support and strengthen the educational and empowerment programmes that Shaishav and other organisations already have in place, developing and expanding their collective capacities
Operates through the following activities: Develops learning and teaching materials for
children’s education Develops training resources directed at both adults
and children, for training in life skills, child rights, and education issues
Child Rights Training and Resource Centre
Indian hub for US based organisation Play for Peace, which brings diverse youth together through cooperative play
Provides needs based vocational training for adolescents and youth
Documents the techniques used by Shaishav in developing and sustaining child-centred programmes, enabling the sharing of such lessons with other organisations
Conducts research on topics relevant to children and their rights Runs two well-equipped buses that function as highly popular
Mobile Resource Centres in school and communities Advocacy and networking with like-minded organisations at
state, national, and international level, to attempt to influence policy and stimulate change
Impacts & Achievements Approximately 10,000 out-of-school children
admitted into formal mainstream schooling Balsena children have participated in state, national,
and international processes, and demonstrated their leadership, and are now providing training to other children
Successful campaigning by Balsena children to build a new high school in Kumbharwada, Bhavnagar’s largest slum
Large variety of innovative materials and activities have been created, several of which have been accepted for larger application by the Gujarati Education Department and other NGOs
Impacts & Achievements Shaishav developed one of the first educational
programmes for the safety and protection of adolescent girls, resulting in girls gaining greater acceptance in their communities
Children are leading rights based initiatives in their communities and with local government
Shaishav led the nationwide effort to establish the National Forum for Child Participation, the first of its kind in India
Shaishav has received various awards at local and state levels, and its founders have been recognised as Ashoka, CRY, Fulbright, and Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows
Challenges Children remain a low priority in many development
projects The current economic climate has put more pressure
on children to work Continues to be difficult to restore the faith of
marginalised communities in formal education Increasing pressure on families to provide expensive
tuition classes to supplement school based learning Continuing difficulties in mobilising sustainable finance
and in acquiring permanent space for activities
Our Networking Partners
Wenlido
Campaign Against Child
Labour
CHILD RIGHTS COLLECTIVE
Our Funders
Contact us On the web at www.shaishavchildrights.org By email to [email protected] By Telephone on +91 (0) 278 2428560 By post to
Shaishav601/B “Shanti Sadan” Opp. Shivshakti Hall,Sir Pattni Road, Near Crescent CircleBhavnagar – 364 001 Gujarat, India
Or get in touch with Parul Sheth (Executive Director) at [email protected], (+91) 9376428560