Workshop on Juvenile Justice to Child Welfare Committees of A.P.

The Child Welfare Committees of Andhra Pradesh were invited to participate in the Workshop on Juvenile Justice on 28th January 2012 at A.P. Judicial Academy. The Hon'ble Chief Justice of High Court of Andhra Pradesh Sri Madan B. Lokur, Supreme Court Judge and senior Judges of A.P. High Court,Child Protection Specialist Sony Kutty George, All C.W.C. Chair Persons  and 115 CWC Members,Director of J.J.Act and Correctional Services Board Sri Kismat Kumar, Police Officers attended the Workshop.A.P Alliance for Child Rights and A.P. Judicial Academy collaborated to conduct the Seminar.

The Director of J.J Board  stated  that the Child Welfare Committee is the foundation of a Judicial pyramid having District Courts and the High Court working above it. CWC is the statutory body working independently  with judicial powers to protect the children.

Justice Lokur was amazed with the commitment and dedication shown by CWCs in the State to safeguard the rights of the children. He felt they lack sufficient human resources, stationary and infra structure and administrative costs and travel expenses which will be dealt by the Department soon..He advised the District Legal Services Authority to guide the CWC on legal  lacunae, and provide legal aid to Children. He also stressed to establish Advisory Committees under Sec.62 of J.J.Act.The workshop was very fruitful to discuss and understand the specific issues ,challenges and bottlenecks in the functioning of CWCs to protect the children.

National Girl Child Day celebrations on24th January 2012

National Girl Child Day was celebrated  organizing a Press Meet on 24th january at Hyderabad by the Child Rights Protection Forum Representatives including R. Venkat Reddy of M.V. Foundation, Dalit Leader  J. B. Raju, and Dr. Mamatha Raghuveer of Tharuni and others.They demanded  the Central Government for declaring 2012 as Year of  Empowerment of Girl Child. They all reiterated to protect the rights of the girl children  as they are facing discrimination with female foeticide, infanticide, child labour, child marriage and lower levels of education.
They requested the Government to establish a Child Rights Commission at State level, to solve these problems.They also stressed  the need to  release Rules and Regulations to the Child Marriage Prohibition Act 2006 very  soon. Free Education up to Degree level, free transport facilities, educational scholarships and free hostel facilities and toilets and sanitary requirements  have to be provided to  enable the girl child to empower herself, they said. Posters and  Pamphlets were released on the issues of girl child on the occasion.
Dr. Mamatha highlighted the issues of girl children on Vanitha T.V. and Sakshi T. V. which were telecasted on 24th January.

UNICEF GIRL CHILD MEDIA – GENDER SENSITIVE AWARDS:

Suggestions for future media productions by our Executive Director, who was a Jury Member at the UNICEF Girl Child Media Awards:

It was an Honour for me to be a part of this Prestigious Project. Through out it was a Learning being the young member of the Jury and among so many 'Legends'. It was a really enriching experience to me as a novice to intricacies of TV Media Production. As a Child Rights Activist, I always looked at the Media Productions through the Rights perspective and use to argue with other members in most of the discussions. It was a Life time Memory for me to be part of this Noble Project in the cause of Girl Child. My submissions for the future Awards:

• There was lot of competition between the channels for telecasting Girl child related subjects. But except one or two no one has put an effort to show the ground realities. Most of the scenes were down loaded from You Tube or they have used forieng national photos for depicting the A.P. Scenarios. Hence, from next year onwards, we should give clear guidelines to all channels to not to show You Tube shots or downloaded pictures.
• Secondly, the Channels have taken up three or four major issues and showed only the negetivities. They had not shown any solutions to the problems. Media is an effective communication tool and can suggest solutions for the problems and save their lives. Next year we should tell them that proper research should be done on each topic chosen by them and suggest solutions / learnings for the viewers.
• There was no single nomination for well researched program this year as no entry was up to the mark. The channels should use external research agencies / individaul researchers for picturising such in depth topics. Next year CMS can plan a booklet with comprehensive details about Girl child issues to all channels well in advance. This booklet can also give the last year Award winning stories, so that it becomes a Guide for the new Producers & Directors.
• The Time period for this Awards can be extended to Six months so that it becomes a Habit for Media Cheannels to focus on girl child issues. The Time slot can be extended to six hours to capture all the programs which are gender sensitive.
• Most of the channels which are competing for the Awards do not reach people and only 3 or 4 channels can be viewed by the rural masses. Hence, recheability also should be a criteria for giving Awards as through this effort we want to reach masses with good messages on girl children.
• The Jury had observed negativism had become part and parcel of Media. They are not focusing the positive facts about the realities. Hence, awards were given to channels which are positive in attitude & Gave messages which are practical.

- Dr Mamatha Raghuveer,

Director, Tharuni.

Balika Utsav at Hanamkonda on 19th December 2011

Tharuni reached its milestone of 12 Years in the service of girls and also successfully completed UNICEF Child Protection Project for the last three years.Tharuni could bring 11000 adolescent girls together in 95 villages,among the four Mandals in Warangal District. The girls have formed into 500 Balika Sanghas actively participating as official Forums for Girl Children. They became the Change Agents in the villages, trying to solve the local problems.They gained confidence to lead a dignified life by creating a niche for their groups.So Tharuni celebrated the "Balika Utsav"to enable the girls to share their success stories, and unite themselves with a strength of togetherness  and decide the future course of action for their further progress.
Tharuni invited twelve Women Achievers from 12 different fields as Role Models for the girls to get inspired, and felicitated the women with impressive mementos.Two Best Balika Sanghas from each Mandal and best Balika achievers were given prizes.The Tharuni Executive Board Members were also felicitated for their services. Kalajathas and cultural programs depicting the problems of girl child were very impressive. Smt. C.S.Ramalakshmi, IFS,Commissioner Sericulture, Government of Andhra Pradesh,and Rajasekar UNICEF District Manager  were  the  Guests of Honour for the event. Tharuni Coordinators were given mementos by Ramalakshmi  for their best efforts to serve the girl children.Dr. Mamatha Raghuveer, thanked  one and all for the support given to Tharuni for the last 12 years. 

Balika Melas in Four Mandals by Tharuni

Tharuni conducted Balika (Girl) Melas (Meetings) in the Four Mandals where the UNICEF sponsored the Child Protection Project for the last three years. As the Project is  being closed by the UNICEF by December 2011,Tharuni invited all Mandal Officials,Mandal Samakhyas, V.C. P.C.Members,Head Masters and Teachers,and Anganwadi Workers for the Meetings, where more than five hundred Balika sangha Members attended at each Mandal headquarters. Geesukonda Mandal Tharuni coordinator Kavitha organised the Meet on 5th December 2011.Station Ghanpur Meet was held on 6th December 2011,coordinated by Srinivas,Deveruppula Mandal on 10th, byVijay, and finally at Dharmasagar Mandal Meet was held on 11th December by Ranjith. UNICEF Project Manager  Rajasekhar, along with Tharuni Director attended the Meetings and they handed over the Girls groups to the local officials and Angan wadi Workers as a formality.The girls made a pledge that they will continue the activities for ever and empower themselves.Tharuni Director Dr. Mamatha assured them that the girls will be supported by their Organisation in a suitable manner with the help of the community.