Children's Rights on Pitara Kids Network

Where Children Run Their Own Lives

Mon, 30 Dec 2002 22:52:04 +0000

September 9: Govindpuri, a sprawling slum settlement in New Delhi, spread over nine km, is like any other slum — a congested maze of narrow lanes, uncovered drains and tiny houses. But it is unique in one aspect. The children living there have come up with an unusual way to settle their problems. They have set up Bal Panchayats or local governing bodies that have child members only.

“We started Bal Panchayat two and a half years ago to address our own problems. We handle topical issues like students dropping out of school, somebody failing in exams or even Kargil. Then we decide our course of action and act on it,” says Ravi, one of the members, sounding very confident.

Talking Through their Hats for Peace

Wed, 06 Nov 2002 07:28:24 +0000

September 9: A group of children are going to attend the International Conference on War-affected Children, at Winnipeg in Canada, from September 10 to 17. Coming from war-torn countries like Somalia, Uganda, Sierra Leone and Kosovo will all wear hats during the conference. The hats are meant to prevent them from being identified back home. They might be punished for speaking out against war when they return.

But there will be some children who will not wear hats, and will even talk to journalists, according to a recent article in ‘The Indian Express’.

Young Peacemakers of Colombia

Sun, 30 Sep 2001 17:38:49 +0000

July 29: Ivan Vargas is only 14. But he is a messenger of peace for his country, Colombia. He and 100,000 other Colombian children have got together to start the Movement of Children for Peace. All of them want only one thing today – peace in their war-torn country — at any cost. But not having much faith in adults, they have decided to bring it about themselves. And for their efforts, the children’s movement was even nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize of 1999.

Protest Without Clothes

Fri, 07 Apr 2000 02:48:40 +0000

July 1: See this picture. What do you think the children were doing?

No, they were not waiting for a community bath. They were at a gram sabha (village meeting). They had gone there to tell officials that the increased cost of power is making them miserable.

This kids protest happened at Sitarampura near Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh recently.

Protest Without Clothes [Illustration by Sudheer Nath]

The gram sabhas were being conducted last week by officials of the Andhra Pradesh Transmission Corporation (AP Transco). They had not expected a bunch of naked kids to come with their list of woes, reported the Hyderabad-based ‘Deccan Chronicle’ newspaper.