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| | 'No time to play,' Children speak out at WSF
'Violence Against Street Children'workshop, WSF 18.01.04. Hear the children speak, a workshop about children, by children.
This workshop was used by children from around India to express their own situation and solutions. A game was played with the children throwing a ball around to music and then when the music stopped, the child holding the ball introduced themselves, made a statement about a child violence issue and then concluded with a forfeit e.g, singing a song, dancing. There was much fun and laughter despite the heart renching issues raised. All the children were from various children's groups such as `Butterflies`a programme offering an Alternative Education Scheme (non formal classes on the streets), a healthcare cooperative, and a children's saving scheme (credit union), in Delhi. The children split into small groups to brainstorm all violence experienced by children, and were asked to highlight 3 main issues and action plans. In all the groups the following issues were raised: 1.Violence in the workplace. With no education, the children feel they `are beaten up by everybody`, their employers, the Police, their own community. For example, child labour in hotels/restaurents is abusive with low pay, sexual abuse commonplace, both paid and unpaid. One child explained the effect of globilisation on their parents whom are unemployed, and subsequent pressure on the child to work. He called for services to not only work with children but also their parents, Children are maimed to be used as beggars, and children's body parts are sold such as eyes being cut out or kidney being sold. 2.Children used in drug trafficking. Children are paid to both make drugs and traffick, they often are using the drugs themselves. 3.Children working with explosives. Children are paid by political parties to make bombs, many children are injured working with the materials. They are also paid to attend rallies. The children action plans are as follows: Clearly stating that government was the problem, they call for , 1.Sex education for children in the workplace 2.Laws to be developed and scrutiny of existing laws relating to children such as drug trafficking laws 3.Councelling to be provided for street children 4.Alternative skills training for children so they do not have to take the jobs highlighted here. 5.Effective punishment of perpetrators of violence and abuse. They call for an officer to be appointed to check on workplaces, and ask for businesses that abuse children to be shut down. 6.A separate Police force to deal with children. 7.Homes for children 8.Expansion of helplines for street children.
pictures from the workshop 4 pictures from the workshop |