vidiyal

   a programme for street and working children    *    striving to promote child rights

Vidiyal Child Rights Movement

Vidiyal Child Rights Programme

“Let us rise and become the protagonists of our rights!”

At the heart of our many programmes, activities and campaigns lies a strong commitment to child rights. Upon coming to Vidiyal, children learn about their rights as defined by national and international law.

Through participation in the Vidiyal Child Rights Movement (VCRM), the children are in contact with local, regional, national and international children's movements. Through educational programmes, outreach and advocacy, the VCRM hopes to impact regional and national child rights awareness, protection and legislation. Working children use the VCRM as a forum for negotiating safer work conditions and fairer salaries.

The Vidiyal Child Rights Movement enables the children to have a strong collective voice, with which they can demand equal rights, protection and participation.

History of the Movement

Vidiyal, a Programme for Street and Working Children, was founded in the year 1996 by Sakthi, a voluntary organization in Madurai. In 1997, a group of working children formed their own sanga, Vidiyal Vaanavil, asserting their identity as a working children's organization involved in the decision-making process at Vidiyal.

In 1999, the National Movement of Working Children - India (NMWC) was founded, with Vidiyal Vaanavil one of the founding members. Since then, Vidiyal Vaanavil has actively organized groups of children into clubs, forums and sangas.

In 2000, the various groups of children collectively formed the Vidiyal Children's Council, electing representatives annually. One member of the council traveled to Geneva, as a representative of the NMWC, to present an alternate report to the committee on the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

In 2004, the executive body of the Children's Council voted to rename the collective the Vidiyal Child Rights Movement. Members can be identified by their blue headbands, bearing the movement's logo. The movement also has its own flag, designed by the children.

The Vidiyal Child Rights Movement holds consultative status within Sakthi-Vidiyal, and influences its policy and decision-making process. The children use the movement as a vehicle to campaign for recognition and rights for themselves and for other marginalized groups within Madurai as well as at the state level.

Organization

The Vidiyal Children's Council, the executive body of the movement, meets every three months. Representatives of all of the forums and service teams present their three-month plan as well as a report of the past quarter.

The executive committee consists of seven elected representatives including the President, Secretary and Treasurer. They meet once a week to ensure the smooth functioning of activities and coordinate the many service teams and forums.

Each forum and service team holds a monthly meeting to discuss and plan their activities. They then submit a monthly report to the executive committee. Members pay a subscription to support VCRM activities, which are divided into four categories: programmes for fun and fellowship; programmes for self-development; programmes to serve the community; and programmes to fight for child rights.

Activities

I. Programmes for fun and fellowship

Picnics, outings, celebrations, etc.

Exposure visits and tour

Programmes for self-development

Training workshops appropriate for age and interest

Training offered by other organizations

Personality development programmes

Programmes to serve the community

Visits to institutions such as old age homes, children's homes, schools for the physically and mentally challenged

Reaching out to those affected by disaster

Raising material and financial aid from the community

Programmes to fight for our rights

Participating in rallies to bring our demands to the attention of government and community organizations

Sending representatives to other forums to champion child rights

Networking with other children's organizations to collectively protest violations of children's rights

Developing a social theatre to build awareness of children's rights within the general public

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