Advocacy meeting in Raichur district

On 24^th September 2018 the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) organized a meeting with the district authorities to review the situation of children in Raichur district at the office of the District Commissioner, Raichur, Karnataka in the presence of Mr. Y. Mariswamy, Chairperson KSCPCR, Karnataka, Mr. Bhagadhi Goutham, District Commissioner and Mr. Nalin, Chief Executive Officer, Raichur.

The meeting was organized with the help of various departments and the heads of the various departments were part of the meeting namely Deputy Director of Women and child Development, Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI), District Social welfare department, Director of Backward and Minority Department, District Labour Department, District Child Protection Unit, Child Welfare Committee, Superintendent of Police, Coordinator of National Child Labour Elimination Project and Coordinator, Childline.

During the meeting Fr. Kuriakose, Director, Don Bosco Social Service, Devadurga along with the CREAM staff (Child Rights Education and Action Movement) submitted a memorandum regarding the intense problem of trafficking children for labour to work in the agriculture sector from different villages of Devadurga taluk. Mr. Siddalingappa, District Coordinator, CREAM project presented the gravity of the problem to the authorities based on the survey conducted on the issue of transporting children in overcrowded vehicles for child labour. The survey found that over the span of three hours from 8.00 am to 11.00 am 964 children below the age of 14 were taken in 113 vehicles to work in the cotton and chilly fields.

The agenda for the meeting included the key issues such as malnutrition, medical checkup, basic facilities in anganawadis, problems faced by students in Government schools like lack of separate toilets for boys and girls, drinking water facilities, inadequate play grounds in schools and problems faced by the students in Government hostels specially the lack of sufficient toilets, cots, beds, shortage of staff and the poor condition of the building itself. The meeting also delved into the difficulties faced by the backward community.

Based on the facts and inputs Mr. Mariswamy directed the stake holders to strengthen the campaign against child labour system, child marriage, child trafficking and to strengthen the past pupil unit. As a result of the fruitful discussion decision was taken to conduct three raids in a month to prevent child labour, child trafficking and to improve the basic facilities in Government hostels.