350 students take part in children’s parliament - the hindu

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Around 350 students from across the State participated in the three-day conference of the Forum for Promotion of Child Participation, organised by Arogya Trust and Neighbourhood Community Network (NCN).

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  • 2/12/2015 350studentstakepartinchildrensparliamentTheHindu

    http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/350studentstakepartinchildrensparliament/article6037875.ece 1/1

    CitiesMadurai

    350studentstakepartinchildrensparliament

    S.MohammedRohithWithbarelyafewweeksleftforthecountrysnewParliamenttoconvene,representativesofthenewlyformedTamilNaduPuducherryStateParliamentofChildrenherepassedseveralresolutionsduringthefirstsessionhereonThursday.ProminentamongthesixthStateParliamentssuggestionswasraisingtheagelimitforcompulsoryprimaryeducationfrom14to18.Around350studentsfromacrosstheStateparticipatedinthethreedayconferenceoftheForumforPromotionofChildParticipation,organisedbyArogyaTrustandNeighbourhoodCommunityNetwork(NCN).Sharingherplight,15yearoldSwarnaLakshmi,avisuallychallengedgirlfromChennai,whowaselectedLawMinister,saidthatdespitethepresenceofseveraleducationalinstitutionsinherarea,shewasforcedtostudyinaspecialschoolforthevisuallychallenged,situatedfarawayfromherhouse.SheurgedtheschoolsintheStatetoadmitdifferentlyabledstudentslikeherandofferappropriatefacilitiesforthem.SomeoftheotherdemandsmadeintheconferenceincludedeffectivestepstocheckfemaleinfanticideandsexualabuseoffemalechildrenalawtoprovideandmonitorbasicamenitiesinallpartsoftheStateforapropergrowthenvironmentforchildren.TheStateParliamentisafederationofabout3,000neighbourhoodparliaments.Eachparliamentcomprises30childrenaged6to18fromaneighbourhood.DistrictlevelparliamentselectrepresentativesoftheStateParliament.TheparliamentselecttheirownPrimeMinister,VicePrimeMinister,SpeakerandMinisters.Theconcept,basedonsociocracy,seekstoorganiseneighbourhoodchildrensgroupsasparliamentsatthevillage,districtandStatelevelstodiscussandlobbyforissuesimpactingchildrights.Wehavebeenworkingwiththesechildrenforthelasttwoyears.Initially,weprovidedbasictrainingonlifeskillssuchascreativeandcriticalthinking,teambuilding,leadershipqualities,trustbuildingandproblemsolvingandsoon.Oncethechildrenpickeduptheseskills,weformedtheChildrensParliament,saidJ.Vennila,ProjectHead.Theparliamentmeetsonceinthreemonths.Duringaninteractionwithmediapersonshere,MathaiyanfromKrishnagiridistrict,whowaselectedPrimeMinisteroftheStateparliament,said,Villagelevelparliamentsdiscusslocalissuesandactuponthem.Theyalsorepresentmajorissuestous.We,attheStatelevel,havecompiledtheissuesprojectedbythevillageanddistrictlevelparliamentsandplantosubmitthedocumenttotheStateandCentralgovernmentsforfollowupaction.Keywords:TamilNaduPuducherryStateParliamentofChildren