By Manoj Sebastian | Project Officer, Bal Ashram
Dear all, Here’s wishing you a merry Christmas and Hapy New Year! Attached is a brief update on two events that saw the participation of Bal Ashram children and Director. Hope you enjoy reading them. Your comments/suggestions are welcome.
"These children will shine like stars, I congratulate Bal Ashram for their success and this programme has made us also are more sensitized by problems that these children encounter"- Honorable Chief Justice of India, Justice Mr. K. G Balakrishnan
On the eve of Children's Day, Chief Justice of India, Honorable Justice Mr. K. G Balakrishnan promised former child labourers rescued by BBA that the time would soon come when child labour and exploitation of children would be eliminated from society. In a programme organized by the National Legal Service Authority (NLSA) with Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), the Honorable Justice was joined by other eminent judges from the Supreme Court and the High Court. 30 children, from Bal Ashram and a child friendly village, Rajasthan, had an interactive question and answer session. At the beginning of the programme, Bal Ashram children performed a skit weaving the true story of how children in many parts of the country are still in the grip of child labour and illiteracy and how important education is for a bright future. It won the hearts of the judges.
During the programme Bal Ashram children had the opportunity to interact with The Chief Justice of India and other Justices of Supreme Court. Some of the questions asked by the Bal Ashram children and its answers by different Justices are are as follows:
Q- Pradeep Kumar (Bal Ashram) who was rescued at the time when he was being sacrificed by his parents, wanted to know – "Whenever children complain, the police say that they would take action; but then nothing happens as the employers go scot-free. What should we do in such a situation?
Ans – Chief Justice of India Justice K. G Balkrishnan replied - "Children or anybody can write to National Legal Service Authority (NLSA) or to the Supreme Court Legal Services and we would take action and any such reports would be welcomed."
Q- Rakesh, 12 years and a child labourer for 6 years asked – "There are so many street children and many are trafficking for forced labour. Why are authorities not taking action against the traffickers and what measures should be taken to solve this issue?"
Ans – Honorable Justice Mr. Arijit Pasayat echoed the same statements as the Chief Justice of India's and said - "You can write complaints on a post card and send it to the Supreme Court and action would be taken against your complaint."
During the conclusion of the programme, Honorable Chief Justice of India, Justice Mr. K. G Balakrishnan expressed his happiness at the children and their wise, probing questions. He said –"These children will shine like stars. I congratulate BBA for their success and this programme has made us also are more sensitized by problems that these children encounter."
The President of BBA, Mr. Ramesh Gupta said that this group of confident children after all that they went through shows that there is hope in the society. And this is right message on the children's day.
Bal Ashram shines at the Clinton Global Initiative- Asia meeting Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), one of the world's most renowned organizations organized 'CGI Asia Meeting' from 1-3 December 2008 in Hong Kong, to discuss about the latest developments on the issues of Education Energy and Climate Change, and Public Health'. Mrs. Sumedha Kailash, the director of Bal Ashram was one of the special invitees of this meeting. Former US President- Bill Clinton, Ban-ki-Moon (Secretary General, The United Nations), Gloriya Macapagal Arroyo (President, Republic of the Philippines), and The President of Singapore were among the many dignitaries of the meeting.
Clinton Global Initiative stands to turn ideas into action to help the world move beyond current state of globalization to a more integral community of shared responsibilities and values.
There were three working sessions in the meeting and Mrs. Sumedha represented Bal Ashram in the session that discussed education. She spoke of her experiences of working with children disadvantaged because of health, gender, geography, economic, or political reasons. She said that "Globalisation has brought about several polarities and that is what the world is trying to grapple with. But education is the primary force which would ensure that the fruits and benefits of globalization reach all people, especially the marginalised sections."
Mrs. Sumedha Kailash also met the Mr. Bill Clinton and discussed about the issues of child labour and education in India. Mr. Clinton appreciated the work of Bal Ashram as well as Bachpan Bacha Andolan (BBA) for the elimination of child labour. During the interaction, Clinton also asked about Kalu Kumar (Rescued and rehabilitated in Bal Ashram) whom he met in 2000 with the founder of BBA, Kailash Satyarthi.
Ms. Sumedha Kailash also expressed herself to International Actress Michelle Yeoh and Jet Li, well known actor and the founder of One Foundation and discussed about the activities of Bal Ashram and Child Labour issues in India.
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By Manoj Sebastian | Project officer
By Sandhya | Project Coordinator
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