Bhima Sangha urges the local governments of Bellary district and the State government of Karnataka that they must listen to the issues faced by working children and their communities and respond proactively
Posted on December 20, 2019
CWC Mid Year Annual Retreat: Venue, Bellary: September 2019
CWC conducted its mid-year Retreat in Huvinahadagali taluk, Bellary district during September 2019. It was designed as a mobilisation and facilitation process for members of Bhima Sangha of Morageri, Mahajanadahalli, Sonna, Nandihalli and Hiremalanakeri Panchayats. As part of the process, children mapped issues they face to be raised with the members of their Panchayats. They used the ‘Problems Bag’ (ಸಮಸ್ಯೆ ಚೀಲ in Kannada) to go around the community, beating drums, taking processions in the community, appealing to working children to come forward and raise their concerns. Facilitators from team CWC helped children understand the concept of balance of power in the society between citizens and our elected representatives, the importance of accountability and the use of data for advocacy. Members of the Bhima Sangha participated with the utmost courage and enthusiasm. Each of the Panchayats hosted exclusive meetings with members of the Bhima Sangha. There, children presented all the issues mapped, including those they prioritised for urgent action, with the help of a priority ranking tool. They received very attentive and positive responses by the panchayats; some issues were addressed immediately, few taken up for follow-ups. In some cases, the panchayats have actually issued immediate orders for action and work has already commenced in all of the panchayats. Members of Bhima Sangha have tied red ribbons in front of the Panchayats, one each to represent the issues they have raised. When issues are addressed, white ribbons will replace the red ones – A social monitoring tool, developed in partnership between Bhima Sangha and CWC.
Consultation programme with members of Bhima Sangha with the Gram and Taluk panchayat along with the Earth breaking ceremony of Namma Bhoomi Bellary: September 2019
The earth breaking ceremony of Namma Bhoomi Bellary, located in Moragere panchayat, Hagaribommanahalli taluk, Bellary, to construct our Professional Training Centre was held on 20th September 2019. On that occasion, Members of Bhima Sangha interacted with elected representatives of Taluk Panchayat members and Taluk and District level officials to present their issues, and share about the responses they received from Panchayats. They also mentioned their determination to follow up on each one of the issues. A Taluk Level Task Force was formed with Bhima Sangha representatives, Panchayat members, Makkala Mitras and supportive adults to take forward the advocacy at the Taluk level when required and for mutual sharing and solidarity among panchayats. The guests at the event included MLA Mr. P.T.Parameshwar, along with Smt. Rudraamba Prakash, wife of the late Sri. M.P.Prakash, former deputy Chief Minister, Karnataka, Sri Veeranna Gowda who was the first Panchayat president and Makkala Mitra to support our work in Bellary. Several officials and people’s representatives from the village panchayats and community members were present in large numbers. The officials and people’s representatives expressed their commitment to ensuring speedy actions to address issues raised by children at the event.
Read the Press Coverage here:
First-ever taluk level task force meeting in North Karnataka: November 2019
The first-ever Taluk Level Child Rights Task Force meeting of North Karnataka was held at the office of Huvinahadagali taluk, Bellary district. Mr. U. H Somashekhar, Executive officer of Huvinahadagali panchayat along with the presidents of gram panchayats of Mahajanadahalli and Nandihalli, officials of the police department and Anganwadi Workers of Huvinahadagali taluk were present at the meeting. Members of Bhima Sangha from Nandihalli, Mahajanadahalli, Sonna, Morageri, Hiremalanakeri panchayats along with Makkala Mitras of Nandihalli and Morageri panchayat were among the 50 participants. Members of Bhima Sangha reiterated the issues raised at the gram panchayat level. They joyfully shared about problems that were solved since their Panchayat meetings and those that remained to be addressed. Members of Bhima Sangha were also part of a debriefing discussion that took place at the office of CWC in Huvinahadagali, where children shared their experiences and feedback from participating in the meeting. Local follow-ups as well as preparations for the next Task Force Meeting to be held after 3 months were discussed.
Read the Press Coverage here:
Kannada Prabha (Bellary Edition):
Press Conference highlighting the issues faced by working children and their communities: December 2019
Members of the Bhima Sangha and of the Taluk Level Child Rights Task Force organised a press conference at Huvinahadagali to raise issues faced by working children and their families. Issues raised included: Caste-based discrimination, challenges in preventing child marriages (including lack of awareness with regard to the recent amendment to the Act in October 2017 and its negative repercussions on the lives of young girls); lack of safe work options for adolescents and youth, distress migration to other towns and cities in search of livelihood opportunities, issues raised by the workers coming under the NREGA programme, illegal sale of alcohol and its impact on children and communities, working children and children who are socially, politically, culturally, economically and geographically marginalised do not have access to platforms where they can exercise their right to participation to impact on decisions which will impact their lives. Children have given a call to all the tiers of the local governments and state government to address their issues. The response from the Taluk panchayat and some of the Gram panchayats has been very positive. The event has been extensively covered in the media.
Read the detailed press note here: Press Note Bellary – issues raised by BS 11-12-19
Find the press coverage of the event here:
Prajavani:
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