The Hindu : Other States / Rajasthan News : Tilonia children leave for Korea

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Friday, May 20, 2005

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Other States - Rajasthan

Tilonia children leave for Korea

Special Correspondent

Five `Baal Sansad' members to participate in international meet on governance

JAIPUR: Five members of the unique "Baal Sansad" (Children's Parliament) established at the famous Barefoot College in Tilonia will leave here on Friday for Seoul to take part in the "Sixth Global Forum on Reinventing Government" being hosted by the Government of the Republic of Korea from May 24 to 27. The children have been selected by the Rajasthan office of the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF).

The five "Parliamentarians" will make a presentation on the exceptional initiative taken by them to establish the forum for children that has influenced local governance and developed into an institution where children exercise real political and social power. The Baal Sansad has ensured active engagement of children in the decision making process in five districts of the State.

The project is the brainchild of the Social Work and Research Centre of Tilonia and has completed about 12 years, enabling the children to wield considerable power in the traditional and patriarchal society of Rajasthan. It has also helped bring about changes in the social structure by getting the adults and decision-makers to accept children's views and act upon their recommendations.

Only young representatives

The State Representative of UNICEF, Satish Kumar, told reporters here on Thursday that the young "elected representatives" of Baal Sansad had been selected as the showcase of the child participation project in one of the sessions during the event. The Baal Sansad members will be the only children from across the world participating in the global forum.

The United Nations is a key partner in organising the forum, which is expected to be the world's biggest conference on the issue. While the theme of the 2005 forum is "Towards participatory and transparent Government", the UNICEF session, featuring the Baal Sansad members, is titled "Building democratic societies: the power of child participation".

The participants will include the incumbent as well as former heads of State, senior Government officials, academicians, civil society groups, and representatives of international organisations, including the U.N. The five members of the Baal Sansad - including the 13-year-old "Prime Minister", Santosh Jat - who were present on the occasion, said at the regular "sessions" of their Parliament discussions are held on issues relating to health, environment, drinking water, education and drought relief and solutions suggested to the problems. Officials from various Government departments along with the Barefoot College workers are usually present to help identify solutions to the problems under discussion.

Santosh Jat said the 56 members of Baal Sansad were elected by nearly 4,000 children studying in 150 night schools in five districts - Jaipur, Ajmer, Baran, Nagaur and Barmer. The Baal Sansad motivates families to enrol their children in night schools and monitors the night school programme.

The four other "Cabinet members" accompanying Santosh Jat in the visit to Korea are Rekha Daroga, Manju Jat, Om Prakash and Santosh Mali. Two adult members of the Tilonia contingent are Teja Ram, coordinator of Barefoot College's education programme, and Mangi Devi, coordinator of night schools.

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