PRESS RELEASE TISWADI WORKSHOP ON CHILD-FRIENDLY GOA MOOTS A MONITORING COMMISSION The Tiswadi-level Workshop towards child-friendly Goa organised by Bailancho Saad along with Child Development Project Officer, ICDS Programme, mooted a holistic child-friendly policy and code coupled a plan of action and an effective functional State Commission for Children which will monitor the execution of children-related action by the various Government Departments. The Workshop was attended by participants rangign from doctors, lawyers, heads of educational institutions, teachers, Government officers and representatives of women's and children's rights organisations. The Workshop deliberated on inputs for policy, plan of action and legal and administrative measures to be taken in the best interests of children. Dr. Philomena D'Souza, Head, Department of Paediatrics, Goa Medical College, set the tone for the Workshop stressing on the need to adopt a holistic approach which would take into consideration the immediate social environment, his/her social fabric, and the national and international concerns that impact on the child. Important issues raised by Dr. Philomena were the need for clean waterm air, playgrounds for children and the time for nutrition. Ms. Victoria Fernandes, MLA, from Santa Cruz constituency, in her note of assurance called upon the participants to bring to her notice any concerns regarding children which she could raise in the Assembly. Economic policy concerns took the first slot at the Workshop with Speaker after speaker noted the direct bearing that economic policies have on children and hence the need to impact on the economic policies. Mr. Kemal Barros from Alcoholics Anonymous drew pointed attention to the alcoholism of adults, and its attendant problems for children of alcoholic families. He maintained the need to stop licensing of further outlets of liquor besides strictly enforcing the excise laws related to sale of liquor including the provision prohibiting its sale to children. Ms. Kamal Naik, Headmistress Santa Cruz High School, expressed the inadequacy of the existing enforcement system and the need to fine-tune it. Another reflection of the adverse economic policies was the existence of street children which Ms. Anita Haladi sought to define while recommending strongly for census and statistical data as regards these children so that their existence is visible in planning and policy. That the State has a responsibility to address malnutrition and anaemia in children as part of its economic policies was reflected in several presentations. In this spirit, Dr. Suresh Gaonkar from Food and Nutrition Board, Government of India, called for proper record-keeping on statistics of children malnourished or suffering from anaemia. The Workshop then took off from this into the health concerns of children, with Dr. Narayan Dumo, Dr. Padwal, Dr. Philomena D'Souza, Dr. Dayanand Rao and Dr. Muriel Sequeira and Dr. Anand Helecar speaking on nutritional needs, diseases, hygiene, traffic problems of children and health rights. Issues such as detrimental effects of consumerism on public health, the prevalence of respiratory infections and worm infestations among children, the need for a surveillance system, lack of political will to implement basic health needs of children were highlighted in the presentations. As far as educational needs of children, participants voiced the need for an assessment report of existing facilities for children, with a view to strengthen the same. Participants also called for a needs assessment report with a view to check drop-out rate, particularly in rural areas and urban slums. Participants also articulated strong concerns about discrimination in access to education. Ms. Madhuri Rao from Family Counselling Centre articulated the need for counselling facilities in schools, besides setting up of special counselling centres for children. Ms. Shaila De Souza, Centre for Women's Studies, spoke of the recreational needs of children which she pointed out were important spaces in children's lives which were overlooked by most planning reports. The Workshop then moved into addressing special categories of children with Adv. Shanti Fonseca of Child Rights Cell, AITUC, stressing the need for including domestic labour and labour in hotels in the list of hazardous industries with a view to banning child labour in these sectors. Fr. Maverick Fernandes of Caritas-Goa, reminded that the provisions in the Disabilities Act were like facilities of access to institutions ad offices were yet to be implemented. He also drew attention to the need to provide protection to mentally children from being abused and specified that physically and mentally challenged girl children are most vulnerable in these circumstances. Adv. Cevelorna Torres from Bailancho Saad, speaking on the needs of children of unwed mothers called for sensitisation of society to prevent the stigma that is there for children of unwed mothers and also called for legislation to make sale of children an offence besides making adoption possible for all communities. Concerns were also expressed about other special categories of children like children with HIV/AIDS. Sr. Philomena Serrao from Childline focussed on care-givers including family and anganwadi workers whose own situation needs to be addressed so that there are enabling conditions for children to live in dignity. Among her recommendations was the one for open shelters for children from disrupted families. The Workshop then dwelt on child protection issues calling for effective vigilance and appropriate provisions in laws and legal procedures. Dr. Nishtha Desai from Children's Rights in Goa speaking on paedophilia called for a special law on paedophilia and strengthened vigilance mechanisms in parks, hotels, and surveillance to check the pimping activities of certain motor-cycle pilots and taxi-drivers. Dr. Mariette Correa from Goa State AIDS Control Society called for pro-active prosecution of traffickers by the police by developing appropriate linkages with other authorities. Mr. Rogaciano Rebello advocated the need for a composite child victim assistance unit and appropriate regulatory mechanisms to detect sexual abuse of children besides monitoring of shelters and juvenile homes. The Workshop concluded with participants emphasising on accountability mechanisms both for the consultative processes as also for the policy, plan of action and other measures that are agreed to be taken and calling for incorporation of a child-friendly approach in all existing policies and plans, periodic review of the chalked out policy and plan of action to be stipulated in the law itself, appropriate budget allocation to meet the requirements of the plan of action, besides strict monitoring of the implementation of these through the constitution of an appropriate State Commission for Children. albertina almeida For Bailancho Saad
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