ACTION/2015 – State Level Campaign and Press Meet at Bangalore

300 children from the slums of Bangalore gathered in Makkala Coota Park at Fort on 22 May 2015 and wrote a post card each to the Prime Minister of India as part of Action/2015 India Campaign, urging him to commit to deliver a post-2015 world order that is equal, just and secure for the people and the planet and especially to make the living condition of children safe and secure.

During the programme most children opined that they look forward to a just and humane society where children and their rights are safeguarded and nurtured. Children still want free and quality education, better shelter, health care, protection form abuses, opportunity for recreation and talent enhancement.

The campaign was organised as part of the global Action/2015 – announced by Malala when she accepted the Nobel Peace Prize. Action/2015 is calling on the public to join them in their calls to ensure world leaders commit to a better world.  Throughout 2015, the campaign will provide ways for everyone everywhere to get involved in influencing the outcomes of these global debates that could achieve:

• An end to poverty in all its forms;
• The meeting of fundamental rights, tackling inequality and discrimination;
• An accelerated transition to 100% renewable energy;
• A world where everyone can participate and hold their leaders accountable.

Speaking on the occasion Fr. George P. S. Executive Director of BOSCO said that “each one of you gathered here is called to initiate this action/2015 in your neighborhood by helping each other to be in school and get best education available”. Fr Joy Nedumparambil, the Executive Director of BREADS Bangalore, explained the rationale behind this global campaign and demanded that SDGs should guarantee that every child in India is in school and studying well. Sri Umesh Aradya, Chairperson KSCPCR (Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights) exhorted the children to pass the knowledge of action/2015 to as many as possible and asked every child to pledge to create a world order around them that is just and equitable.

Ms. Meghana Gaonkar, Cine Artist, while speaking to the children emphasized that action/2015 becomes meaningful only when children take the responsibility to fulfill their aims in life and work towards the realization of that.

The campaign was organized by Bangalore Oniyavara Seva Coota (BOSCO). Prior to the gathering BOSCO staff had taken the campaign to various places in the city and gathered around 5000 post cards written by children. All the 5500 post cards are mailed to the Prime Minister of India urging him to look into the matter and speak for children in the world leaders’ summit in September 2015 at the UN. Besides children, there were representatives from different NGOs, volunteers and press persons present for the function.

As part of the campaign nearly 25000 children across Karnataka through Child Rights Education and Action Movement (CREAM) network facilitated by Bangalore Rural Education And Development Society Bangalore (BREADS) wrote the post cards to the PM and created public awareness to more than 20 lakhs of people.