Chennai: In an effort to frame state child policy and include the views of the children in decision making bodies, around 50 children from 29 districts came together to prepare children's election manifesto.
The program was conducted by Forum for Promotion of Child Participation in association with UNICEF. According to Virgil D’Sami, state convener of FPCP, national child policy already exists but there is no state child policy. "During the committee meeting I proposed that children's demands should be included in election manifesto. We had four zonal consultations with children at Tiruchy, Erode, Chennai and Madurai. Today we are going to consult all recommendations being given by child representatives from all the districts," she said.
The views of the children will be submitted to the commission. She added that the future depends on these children, unless they are well educated and have good health nothing can be achieved. Many children are exposed to drugs, child trafficking, sexual abuse and so on.
"All these issues need to be highlighted to the ruling party. Allowing children to participate is today's objective. Further not just children expressing their views, whether adults are listening to them and taking these views to the decision making, so that it is included in the policies. Only then it becomes child participation," she said.
Children said their decision should also be taken to the Parliament. They demanded the right to live, development and participation in government decision-making and child protection.
T. Saravanan, 15-year-old assistant secretary to federation of children movement for right to participation said, “In Parliament there should be one child representative. The punishment for child abuse under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act should be tightened.
The act is not amended properly. Child participation should be ensured in school, community and local government bodies.”
