Daily Update:Child Right Bus

(May 13, 2009)

Eastern route:
The Eastern route Child Right Bus has successfully conducted Campaign in Ilam, Damak, Dharan, Biratnagar, Rajbiraj, Lahan, Gaighat, Janakpur, Jaleshwor and Chandanikapur, Birgunj, Kalaiya, Hetauda, Chitwan, Narayanghat and Dhadingbeshi districts and has returned back to Kathmandu.

Western route:
The Western route Child Right Bus has successfully conducted Campaign in Narayangadh, Mahendranagar, Dhangadi, Nepalgunj, Surkhet, Dang, Taulihawa, Butwal, Syangja, Pokhara, Damouli and Besisahar districts and has returned back to Kathmandu.

NOTICE

National Child Essay Competition

Organized by:

Child Rights National Campaign 2009

For more details

Introduction>>

Child Rights National Campaign 2009

for information in Nepali

Introduction

The Pro-democracy people's movement reinstated the parliament and the nation formally entered the phase of a Republic. Now the drafting of the well - known New Constitution has already been started. This is the most important phase in the history of the country, where the general public can participate in building the new constitution. It is a high time to be aware and to ensure the rights of people belonging to different class, level and regions by institutionalizing national integrity, democracy and inclusiveness. It becomes our responsibility to make the elected Constituent Assembly members aware and suggest them regarding the issues to be addressed in the constitution. In general, the issues of children are more neglected in comparison to the voices of adults. But, without the proper protection of children, none of the countries can prosper. Therefore, to ensure the rights of child in the constitution, this national awareness campaign has been initiated to give due importance to children's voices, issues affecting them in the Constituent Assembly by the children and child rights organizations.

Objectives [TOP]

• To collect child right issues directly from the children from different districts in a national level.
• To aware the general public regarding 'Child Rights Sensitive Constitution' in a national level.
• To provide suggestions by compiling the issues in national level in order to give importance regarding the children's issues in the Constituent Assembly.
  

Activities [TOP]

This is a public campaign to be initiated with the coordination and participation of child rights organizations and the children themselves. In the district level, this campaign will run with the leadership and participation of the local agencies and organization in the respective district. All the organizations that have supported and participated in this national campaign will be the organizer of the campaign and the names of all these local agencies and organizations will have equal place in the report that will be published at the end of the campaign.

1. Collection of the children's issues to be addressed in the New Constitution:
   
   • Organize a national level Essay Competition entitled "Constitution that I wish" and motivate the children to write creative views and ideas that can suggest to ensure children's right. Through this, children from diverse working backgrounds, ethnicity and geographical situations will have an opportunity to take part in building new constitution from different parts of the country.
   • Nationally, organize a meeting in all the districts with the children, child rights organization and other concerned stakeholders to compile the issues related to children that needs to be ensured in New Nepal or specifically in the New Constitution.
2. Collection of Children's Thumb-prints
   • Thumb-prints of ten hundred thousand children will be collected under the main slogan in the national level. Different schools will be requested for this; however through the active participation of different organizations, child-clubs; the campaign will focus and reach the out of school children.
   • The compiled issues of children and thumbprints from the district level will be kept in exhibition in the capital - Kathmandu, and then the compiled issues will be handed over to the Constituent Assembly.
3. Child Right Bus: Propagation and public awareness to ensure child rights in New Constitution
   • For the first time in Nepal "Child Rights Bus" filled with various awareness materials on child rights will run to raise public awareness in a national level. This special bus will travel in different districts as per the stipulated time table. Different awareness programs will be organized in the districts at that time when the Child Right Bus reaches or travels on the respective district. The programme and the child right bus will as well coincide with the period when the Constituent Assembly members are propagating in their own districts. Whereas in those districts where the bus cannot be reached; the awareness programs will be organized as per the convenience of the local people.
   • In district level, in coordination with the local organizations child rights awareness rally, street theater, songs, dances and other public awareness programs will be organized as the main child rights activities/programmes.
   • Renowned personalities of various backgrounds, different sectors from local to national level will be called to express unity in respecting children's right.
   • Visual recording and written reports will be prepared of all the activities to the extent possible. There will be high level of propagation of the campaign. Different media and media personnel will be requested for this. In addition, in the Radio and Television programmes that is run by different child right organizations; special program in relation to the campaign will be broadcasted.
4. Public hearing and commitment of concerned stakeholders to ensure child rights in New Constitution
   • Different political parties, their sister organizations, federations, professional institutions will be encouraged to appeal and discuss to ensure children's right in the New Constitution.
   • Organize public hearing in different districts regarding child rights and New Constitution among political representatives, constituent assembly members and other concerned stakeholders.
5. Closing Exhibition and handover of children's ideas and voices
   • Exclusive exhibition will be organized as a closing of the campaign where the compiled voices, views and ideas of the children in the national level will be exhibited. In addition to it, one special ceremony will be organized and the very important issues that cannot be neglected in the Constitution will be handed over to the Constituent Assembly.
     

Process [TOP]

1. One District Organizing Committee will be formed in every district and the members of this committee will be the Co-organizer of the national campaign. This campaign will be a public campaign for the rights of the children. In the district organizing committee, there can be participation of District Child Welfare Board, local child rights organizations, child clubs, teacher union, media, concerned local service sectors and other local agencies.
2. All the organizing members will provide their support to their own capacity. For e.g.; if an organization is not in a position to provide financial support then the organization may support in volunteer mobilization. Some can provide financial support, some logistical support, media can support by providing extensive information dissemination, some material support, and likewise. For which, the district organizing committee can decide on its implementation part.
3. As many organizations as possible will be kept in the organizing committee. To run the activities, as per the necessity, a small secretariat can also be formed.
4. The important materials that are needed for the campaign like; posters, pamphlets, stickers, cloth with special prints for thumbprint collection, radio materials, campaign songs, campaign booklet, etc will be prepared and sent to the district organizing committee. In addition, decision can be made by the organizing committee whether to publish additional materials in the district itself, if needed.
5. Child Rights Bus" with the special package of child rights and the campaign will kick off from Kathmandu as the initiation of the national campaign. With the main slogan, the special bus will travel in the different district as per the stipulated time table. In those districts, where this bus reaches, different public awareness programme will be organized in those respective districts according to the set time table. Whereas in those districts where the bus cannot be reached; the awareness programs will be organized as per the convenience of the local people.
6. As per the local level need, the district organizing committee can decide on the implementation of different activities. However, mainly, the following activities will be organized in all the districts:
   
   • Dissemination and distribution of the public awareness materials prepared in a national level.
   • Organizing a meeting with the children and concerned stakeholders for the collection of child right issues that needs to be addressed.
   • Collection of colorful thumbprints of children in a special cloth distributed. Special decoration will be done to the collected thumbprints for the exhibition program.
   • In those districts where the Child Right Bus reaches or in those districts targeted, the following public awareness program will be organized in general:
     
     • Rally with Cultural demonstrations
     • Street Theater
     • Songs and Dances
     • Special performance or a small remark showing unity to ensure children's right in the Constitution by a local renowned person (like; actor, poet, political leader, social worker, industrialist, media person, religious leader/teacher, business person, bureaucrats, etc)
       
7. To the chances possible, organizing a program with the Constituent Assembly member of that region to show unity or give commitment for to cause.
8. Widespread propagation of the district level activities with the support from the media and media persons. To the extent possible, visual recordings will be done and at the end, a special documentary will be made with the compilation of all the visuals from different districts. A national report will be published including all these activities and the names of all the organizations involved in this campaign will be listed as a co-organizer.
9. To document and compile all the activities of the national campaign, a separate Website will be made. In which, all the activities and information from the national and district level will be sited and documented.
10. As a closing of this campaign an exclusive exhibition will be organized, where the voices and views of the children from the national level will be publicly exhibited.

Expected Outcomes [TOP]

1. Raise high level of awareness on children's right in a national level.
2. ''Children are Zones of Peace" concept will be spread out.
3. Initiation of Child Rights Bus. This campaign will grab attention of the children, adults and other stakeholders on the child rights issue in a widespread manner.
4. Child rights issues clearly written and ensured in the New Constitution.
5. Direct participation of hundreds of thousands of children in the most important law making process of the country.
6. Though the Constituent Assembly members and the committees were not able to have direct discussions and counseling with the children; through this campaign, they will able to directly listen, read and know the views and suggestions of hundred and thousands of children.
7. Thousands of general public from diverse communities, economy and background will have and opportunity to know about the importance of children's right in New Constitution. Everyone will take initiative and advocate in their level to ensure child rights in the new constitution.
8. Children consisting of half of the total population will have ownership upon the New Constitution.