Background

Over the last decade, countries across the world have embarked on a course of changing their existing economic models in favour of one driven by the free-market, incorporating processes of liberalization, privatization and globalization. There is increasing documented evidence that globalisation and its attendant handmaidens --- liberalisation and privatisation --- have not produced the progress and prosperity they promised. Only a few have benefited within a nation, and only a few nations within the world; thus accentuating disparities between people and between nations for the rest of us, the dream of another world struggles against the harsh reality of the present.

Among those who have been left outside the radius of profit and growth stand millions of the poor. This is well known. What is less noticed and perhaps even less acknowledged is the fact that a substantial percentage of this population --- nearly half --- consists of children.

The direct impact of globalisation on children and their rights may not immediately leap to the eye. And yet, the experience of organisations working on children’s rights is that the children of the poor, especially of those most vulnerable to the loss of livelihood and related security, pay the highest price. Among them, the situation of the socio-economically marginalised children has in fact worsened over the last few years.

Children cannot escape the ill effects of negative trends/developments in their communities and countries. Debt, conflict, degradation of the environment, sell-outs of natural resources, threats to food security, job losses and jobless growth, migration --– children’s own well being and prospects are placed at risk by all of these. The countries of the poor are worst–affected --– and their large child populations pay the highest price.

Every terrain in today’s world map is thus a danger zone for children. This is borne out by worsening levels of basic health, nutrition and shelter as they fall to knife of social sector cutbacks and policies, programmes and development initiatives that continue to deprive communities and families of resources on which they have traditionally depended, through loss of control and access to land, forest resources and water. Privatisation of social sector benefits such as education, health and provision of water are clearly taking their toll on millions of children.

The symptoms of negative fallout are visible: children deprived of even sparse social benefits as forced and economic migration displaces them, the increasing number of children on the streets, the growing number of street girls, more and more children being trafficked within and across borders and rising numbers of children in part or full-time work.

The world social forum in last 4-5 years has been successful in bringing together different political and social streams on a common platform to oppose and resist the onslaught of Imperialist Globalization. Since children are one of the worst affected section by Globalization, CR4WSF has been making efforts to make children’s voices heard on such a platform.

Child Rights for World Social forum (CR4WSF)

CR4WSF is an umbrella group of networks, alliances and organizations working for children’s rights in India and other parts of the world. It seeks to make a coordinated attempt to reflect the centrality of children in the agenda of development with justice, and to engage actively in ensuring that the focus of ‘Another World’ propounded by the World Social Forum is on the young, with children having a role in defining and determining it. Children constitute a majority in the populations of the poor and disadvantaged of the world. It is only when every child everywhere enjoys every right that ‘another world’ can be possible

CR4WSF believes that this unbridled run of globalisation, as well as the consolidation of patriarchal forces, increasing militarism, communalism, caste-ism and racism is not only detrimental to the optimal growth and development of children, but is in fact in itself a violator of the rights of the child. Children are confronting newer and worse forms of poverty and are increasingly vulnerable to economic exploitation, trafficking and forced evictions and displacement caused by development projects. The human rights and entitlements of children including the right to early child care and education, health, food, play and recreation, education, safe environment, language and culture, participation, safety, security and dignity are being constantly usurped and violated.

CR4WSF believes that the care and protection of all children cannot be left to the market or be subject to the dictates of commerce and profit. We call upon nations to pro-actively place the poor and their children at the center of policy, planning and programming for development and play a role in regulating the market. The commitment of the world community to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child requires a demonstrated effort to give the child the first call on resources and investment. Concrete and conscious action to honour this commitment should be a non-negotiable component of building another world – a world worthy to be termed fit for children and thus fit for us all. The 2005 international reviews of development pledges and reports of action on the Millennium Development Goals show that the world is instead increasingly unfit.

Established in August 2003, CR4WSF brought the issue of children to visibility at WSF-2004 in Mumbai. The process continued after the major event in Mumbai and efforts were made to link it with WSF-2005 in Porto Algre. Regional consultations were organized with children from all over India and group of children were selected to represent children’s concerns in WSF 2005. CR4WSF has been engaged in continuous dialogue with WSF processes in India and got some success in bringing child rights issues in main agenda of ISF 2006.

In above context CR4WSF is seeking support for bringing child rights agenda at central stage in ISF 2006 in Delhi, and to carry forward it to WSF-2007, and beyond.

Objectives:

Visibility of Child rights issues in ISF 2006 Ensuring children’s participation and making children’s voices heard in ISF 2006 Strengthening network on child rights issues against Globalization Establishing dialogue between child rights movement and other movements

Planned Measures:

Preparatory Activities for ISF 2006

Regional consultations with child rights organizations/ network Series of meetings and consultation have been planned at state and regional level to ensure participation of child rights organization from all over India in planning process of ISF 2006. First round of consultation have already been organized in Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orrisa, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and this process will continue in coming months. CR4WSF partners are planning similar meetings in other states and regions. These consultations are also organized to ensure that WSF/ISF processes are not centered around one big event but the issues related to children in context of globalization are discussed at micro level. Regional consultations with children Children’s participation and representation is one of the major objectives for CR4WSF. It has been planned that 200-250 children from different state will participate in main event of ISF to be organized in Delhi. However these children will participate as delegates of larger numbers of children from different parts of India. These children will be elected/ selected by children through state/ regional consultation of children. Children from different backgrounds and context will come together in these consultations and deliberate on the issues that are affecting them. These consultations will also facilitate children to establish links between their realities at micro level and forces of globalization at macro level. Different method like theatre, songs, painting, group discussions etc. will be used for facilitating these workshops. The elected children from these consultations will participate in ISF Delhi. Approximately 10 such consultations will be organized in different states in the months of September and October 2006. National Consultation with network partners One national consultation with network partners is planned in October 2006 in Delhi. Participants from different regions will share their preparatory activities at regional level and detailed plans for CR4WSF activities in ISF will be finalized in this meeting. Position paper of Cr4WSF and other IEC material will also be finalized in this meeting. A new working group to implement planned activities in ISF and later will also be elected in this meeting. Two participants from each state where CR4WSF is active will participate in this meeting. Positioning of child rights agenda in WSF India process. The continuous dialogue with WSF India has helped in recognition of child rights in WSF process upto an extent. However this process needs to continue to ensure that child rights issues gets enough space in the whole process of WSF. CR4WSF partners will continue to participate in central and regional levels meetings organized by ISF. This would also help to create linkages with other movements participating ISF. Coordination Activities India Alliance for child rights will continue to work as secretariat for CR4WSF. A Delhi based support group has been formed to support secretariat to organize all planned activities for ISF. Secretariat will work as link between ISF processes and regional partners and coordinate among regional partners from different state. Secretariat will update all the partners’ organization on developments in ISF process and will also work for coordinating activities with other child rights networks. Secretariat will also provide logistic support in booking workshops, seminars, stalls etc. for network partners. Two full time personnel will be deputed for the secretariat. IEC material IEC material in different forms like booklet, leaflet, brouchers, posters, badges, banners etc. will be produced for dissemination before and during ISF for generating awareness on child rights issues. The position paper of CE4WSF will be updated and printed in form of booklet.

Activities During ISF 2006

Conference/ National consultation with children at ISF As mentioned earlier, approximately 200-225 children will be elected as delegates through regional consultations. These elected delegates from all over India will come together at ISF 2006 and represent issues and concerns raised at regional consultations. Simultaneous workshops have been planned for four days with these children, which would be culminated in a conference. Resource person from different fields like theatre, music, pottery, craft etc. will be invited to facilitate these workshop so that children can express themselves in different forms. Outcome of these workshops will be presented at different places in ISF. The efforts will be made to prepare children’s declaration for ISF to be presented at conference organized by CR4WSF. Children’s participation in other conferences/workshops ISF is an opportunity for us to establish linkages with other networks and make children’s voices heard at other platforms. Majority of issues rose by different networks and movements in ISF are related to children in one way or other. The problems related to globalization like displacement, migration, unemployment, exclusion, social security etc. are affecting children as much as any other section of the society and it is important that children’s voices are being heard on these issues. The children will be facilitated to understand these issues and to participate in workshops and seminars organized by other networks and movements. The participation in events organized by other movements will also ensure that children are not confined in their own workshops and will get opportunity to relate their problems with macro issues. It is proposed that groups of five to ten children participate in different workshops and get back together in the evenings to share their experiences with other children. Wall Magazines and Newsletter It is proposed that children will prepare wall magazines where they will express their concerns and issues and these magazines will be pasted at different places in ISF. Colorful wall magazine prepared by children is expected to seek attention of participants of ISF. Similarly other methods like newsletter or any other form of communication by children will be explored to highlight children’s issues in ISF. The children will also prepare a daily report for media group and efforts will be made that media group give space for children’s reporting. Display at stalls Stalls at ISF venue are another way of making our presence felt in ISF. CR4WSF will book couple of stall for display for its material and it is expected that CR4WSF members and other child rights organization would also book their stalls at individual level. The efforts will be made that all child rights organizations and networks have been given space close to each other so that child rights organization and issues are visible at ISF. These stalls are also expected to functions as free space to make linkages among different child rights organization and networks. xhibitions/ Photo journey ISF is planning to provide quite a bit of space for exhibitions. This space will be utilized for promoting child rights issues. Some of the partners’ organizations have exhibitions on various issues related to child rights, which would be displayed at ISF. Some of the partner organizations are also experimenting by giving cameras to children to catch realities in their localities. An exhibition of these photographs will also be organized in ISF. Rallies / Cultural programmes by children Rallies organized by different groups in WSF 2004 were very effective in seeking attention of participants and media on child rights issues. Similar rallies will also be organized to highlight child rights issue at ISF. Cultural programmes by children from different cultural background will also be organized at ISF.

The support for state and regional level activities will be generated at regional/ state level. CR4WSF is seeking support for activities organized at central level and for coordination activities.