Children’s Voices : Participation of Children & Youth in Advocacy

The children and youth are involved in the activities related to the UBR Camapaign in Andhra Pradesh., Children formed “UBR Children Clubs” they organized rallies and performed cultural programmes, like Role Plays, songs and Kalajathas, they raised voices on the occasions. The youth from all the 9 districts in Andhra Pradesh participated in the campaign in several activities. They joined in UBR committees at panchyats and mandals and participated in review meetings. They performed Kalajaths like Burrakathas, Gollasuddhulu, songs, role-plays etc. Further they joined in Birth Registration observation days. Children and youth are key actors in the UBR campaign. Above all created a positive impact in the campaign.

“Today’s Children are Tomarrow’s Citizens”……..

In order to strengthen the slogan,

Birth Registration is the First Right of the Child and First Duty of the Parents. In the UBR Campaign the primary stakeholders are children. The strength of the Nation is Youth, every one has moral responsibility towards social issues raised by the occasion in the society. So, in the UBR Campaign youth too have a lot of responsibilities.  We involved children and youth. While planning of the programme and up to the implementation part, we involved children and youth, with that they are also advocating importance of the Birth Registration through various forms in the society. They have joined in the UBR communities at the panchayat and Mandal levels and also they participated in the review meetings of the committees. Youth involved in UBR propaganda programmes through Kalajathas and cultural events. They also take part in the pamphlets, posters, and wall writing activities. They involved in Birth Registrations Observation days. Children participated in UBR rallies and cultural events like Role Play, and songs. And also children participated in children UBR clubs at village level.

Role play performed by Youth

The level of the children and youth participation in the UBR campaign indicates the success rate. The role in advocating the Birth Registration in the masses by raising of their voices. The role of children and youth was crucial.  Children and youth in demand creation activities and youth alone participated in strengthening of existing system of UBR.

Children are the entry point for both family and society for Birth Registration Activity. It is must to give support to raise their voices and participation.

Demand creation and strengthening of the existing system are two primary objectives in the campaign, we should give more space for children and youth in the implementation of objectives. We involved children in various activities in implementing the UBR campaign in A.P.

ASM-Plan (Krishna) has initiated Children’s Clubs in order to bring the habit of public speaking, openness and understanding about socio-economics issues of communities.

Children those who are attending upper primary and secondary schools are the members of these clubs.  Periodically they meet and discuss matters relating to the club committees namely;

ü      UBR committee

ü      Education Committee

ü      Health Committee

ü      Information Committee

ü     

ü      Savings Committee

Like other Committees the functions of UBR Committees are as follows;

Gollasuddulu performed by Children

 

ü      Children formed as a Committee, where main focus on their first right having registering their births and issues on its successful implementation.

ü      There is no limitation for the members entry

ü      There is no membership fee

ü      All Children are eligible to join into these committees

ü      Normally once in every three months, all the members of these committees meet together

ü      Main focus given on the importance of their involvement with their family and the society through the procedure of learning, teaching and implementation.

ü     

ü      During the UBR campaigns, these UBR Children committees plays vital role by assisting at Panchayat level too.

One interesting approach was a small drama sketch illustrating a typical village family.

In one of the sketch presented by the children in ASM Krishna is like this. Parents who are illiterate labourers have come to recognize the importance of education. They have three sons who have completed education and are now applying for further jobs, one as a military officer, second in police department and the third wishes to take higher education. After applying, all the three children returns home angry and disappointed having been refused their acceptance, for the fact they did not have birth certificates. The confused parents had no knowledge of what Birth Registration was or its importance. They come to learn about UBR from their neighbours and social workers such as those of ASM but it is too late for their children.

In Chittoor District they utilized the local festivals and Jatharas for creating awareness among general public by involving the youth. At Jatharas they organized stalls by free water supply. Where they distributed the pamphlets, displayed the posters and banners in that stall. The audiocassette on UBR was also arranged with mike set in the jathara as a part of UBR awareness. Large No.of people visited the stall. During these camps the Bullock Cart was decorated with UBR Posters, Banner and moved around the Jathara, which attracted the public very much and also got appreciations by the public and elders. They organized a very big rally around with 2000 children in B. Kothakota of B.Kothakota Mandal on children’s day and distributed sweets to all the children. As a part of UBR Campaign Chaitanya has targeted the children studying in primary schools and hence requested the school headmasters and teachers to allow them in disseminating the information of UBR programme at the time of school assemblies and motivated the children to carry on this message to their parents for concentrating more on registering their Births and getting Birth Registration Certificates properly and timely for achieving the aforesaid objective, Chaitanya has attempted this in all schools.  And also organized rallies with school children in the village.  This activity has attracted the public very much.  High school children helped in filling the birth registration forms at camps.

	Children UBR Rally

 

In East Godavari district, the NGO involved children & youth in UBR campaigns.  They conducted Rallies with high school children at mandal level.  They organized awareness programs of “child-to-child” and “child-to-parent” education.  They involved primary school children in distribution of pamphlets and sent the message to each door-step, which created positive attitude towards parents by getting Birth Certificates for their children.  They involved college students in survey work and in collecting secondary data from the sources.

Kareemnagar District they organized rallies. With the children in UBR Campaign. In Nalgonda District also they organized Role-play with children on UBR. In Adilabad District the local youth participated in Gollasuddulu cultural performance in 50 panchayats effectively. In Visakhapatnam District children participated in UBR rallies etc..

	UBR Radham in JATHARA

 

Children are the key stakeholders and youth are the power of campaign. That is why we should involve both in all forms of the campaign for getting the better and fast results. In the future campaign we should follow the same strategy at all the 9 districts. It is necessary to organize an exposure trip, where the UBR campaign is going on in different states and districts.  This will be an opportunity for us to learn from each other.  In this way, we can reach our target that 100% Birth Registration by the year 2010.

Children Voices:

“My name is Suresh, studying 4^th standard in MPUP school, Lankapalli Village of Krishna District. Regularly I have been attending the children club meetings, during the meetings club leaders explaining about the importance of Birth Registration. Then I realized and enquired about my Birth Registration with my parents. Because of their ignorance and lack of knowledge on Birth Registration, they have registered my name but not obtained certificate. Thanks to our club leaders, the motivated my parents in obtaining the Birth Certificate for me.”

“ I am Bhagyalakshmi belongs to Mudunuru Village of Krishna District. I studied up to  10^th Class and got chance to involve in the UBR  campaign and voluntarily working  in my village. For lack of Birth Certificate I have seen a family who lost chance in getting benefit under Girl child protection scheme. With the knowledge gained through project initiatives I am guiding the relevant families in obtaining birth Certificate which is enabling the prospective mothers in availing the Janani Suraksha Scheme promoted by Government. Thanks to ASM for providing me opportunity to work for a social cause.”