Animator Orientation on Quality Education
A two-day orientation-cum-training programme for IQEEP animators was held at CHD on July 30-31, 2009. The purpose of the workshop was to review the progress of the IQEEP project and consolidate the learning, orient the animators on issues related to quality education and child protection.
IPAP Project launch meeting
CUTS in association with Save the Children- Bal Raksha Bharat is implementing the ‘Stronger Voice to Excluded Children in, Government & NGO Policies and Programmes’ project in Chittorgarh District of Rajasthan. A formal launch meeting of the project was organized at CUTS-CHD on 28th July 09. The occasion was graced by the presence of Mr. Suresh Sharma (Additional District coordinator SSA), Mr. Satyanarayan Inani (Additional Block Coordinator SSA), Mr. Kumar Bikram (UN District Convergence Officer) and Mr. Vinayak Mehta (District Program Manager NRHM).
Centre Coordinator Mr. Amit Chowdhury welcomed the guests. Amit briefed about the project and its objectives. Amit continued to say that the project is a multi-stakeholder project, aiming on one hand at protecting the rights of children in villages and mainstreaming them and on the other hand advocating for their participation in policies and programs of Government and NGOs. He also urged for collective efforts for protecting the rights of socially excluded children.
The program was formally launched by lightening of lamps by the Chief Guests. In their speech, the guest congratulated CUTS for making concerted efforts towards improving condition of deprived children in the district and assured full cooperation in implementing the project. Fourty-two persons including government officials, project staff, and animators associated with this project participated in project launch meeting.
Orientation cum Training of Animators
For enhancing the community participation in project planning and implementation and convincing the community to own the project, local level volunteers known as animators were selected for the project. Twenty eight animators for twenty eight villages were selected. For orientating animators about the project and its various activities, a two days training cum orientation workshop was organized on 28th & 29th July 2009 at CUTS-CHD Rawala Senthi office. The objectives of the workshop were to;
Orient the animators about the project
Build the capacity of animators on the relevant issues so that they can take up responsibility in an effective manner.
Assist animators for preparing action plan for delivering responsibilities given
The workshop started with the brief introduction of participants. Few ice-breaking games were played with participants to finish their hesitation and enhance their participation during discussions. During a discussion on the condition of children in the project villages, participants highlighted following points;
Good number of children are not attending schools
Many children are irregular in schools as they are engaged in different kinds of work
Girls are held back at home to take care of younger siblings
During peak agriculture season, the attendance in school reduces drastically.
One major reason of children drop out is behavior of teacher and corporal punishment
A large number of girls are withdrawn from school by parents when they reach puberty.
Girls working as domestic workers are often sexually exploited
Migration is a big problem with the tribal community. Their children often work as agricultural laborers and rarely attend schools
Children working as child laborer in hazardous activities such as mining etc
The discussion was summarized by the facilitator highlighting the fact that in any village the upper caste people live in the center and the lower caste people reside on the periphery of the village. This is important to note that the dominant and powerful people benefit from the schemes meant for the deprived people and poor remain neglected. The project is meant to work for the deprived and neglected children in the age-group of 0-18 years.
Discussion on child right was held in another session. Participants were enlightened about the United Nation (UN) and UNCRC. The background, need, goals, objective; outcomes and activities of the project were covered in another session so that the animators understand the aim of each and every activity related to the project and do not merely remain service providers.
Subsequently, a presentation on the need, concept and objective of Bal Sabha and Bal Panchyat was made to the participants. This was followed by a role-play by the participants about the meetings and processes of the Bal Panchyats to develop better understanding about the formation of Bal Panchayats in villages.
In one of the sessions, the attributes of a good employee were discussed. This was followed by a presentation on effective communication. Towards the end of the day, animators prepared a monthly action plan for the coming month.
Animator Orientation on Community Mobilisation
For enhancing the community participation in project planning and implementation and convincing the community to own the project, 28 local level volunteers, known as animators, was selected for the Stronger Voice to Excluded Children in Government and NGO Policies and Programmes project. A two-day training-cum-orientation workshop for animators was organised at CHD premises on July 28-29, 2009. The objectives of the workshop were to orient the animators about the project; build the capacity of animators on the relevant issues so that they can take up the responsibility in an effective manner; and assist the animators in preparing action plan for delivering the responsibilities given.
Building Capacity on Child Welfare- Staff Orientation
A one-day orientation workshop for IPAP and IQEEP team on Child Protection and Child Rights was organised at CHD premises on July 24, 2009. The purpose of the workshop was to orient new and old staff about child protection and child rights. Amit briefed the participants on the need of recognising child rights, as separate from human rights, and various schemes and laws related to children in the country. He also discussed International Treaties, Covenants and Conventions related to protection of child rights.
Powering Consumers – Grassroots Interface Meetings
The Grassroots Interface Meetings (GIMs), under the Capacity Building on Electricity Reforms in Bangladesh, India and Nepal (RESA) project, were held in Chittorgarh, on July 18, 2009. The objective of the GIMs was to reach out to the electricity consumers at the local level and enable them to appreciate the role that they need to play in regulatory reforms and transfer some of the key advocacy skills to them. Amar Singh Kanawat, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Chittorgarh and S.N. Soni, Senior Executive, Electricity Board. Ajmer Division, expressed their views on electricity reforms and participated in the discussion with the participants on electricity problems and their redressal.
The three Sub-GIMs were held in Gangrar, on July 25, 2009; in Begu, on July 27, 2009; and in Badi Sadri, on July 29, 2009. The purpose of the meetings was to appreciate the role played by different stakeholders of the society in electricity reforms and pass on advocacy skills to them. The meetings reviewed the measures taken by the electricity department and consumers to address the problems of electricity.