Association holds meet to urge GP candidates to take up child rights issue

 
The meeting decided that the Gram Panchayat, which is the local governing body, should take up child rights issue and education as one of its important duties and priority.

In this regard, the gathering decided to draft a list of activities that they would expect the candidates winning GP elections to do and make the candidates sign the draft as guarantee.

Further, the meet decided to hold voters’ awareness campaign on Child Rights in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. The campaign will be held in Dakshina Kannada district from May 3 to 10 and it will be conducted in Udupi from May 26 to 29.

The meet decided to ask the District Heads of various parties to incorporate child rights as one of points in their agenda and take it up as an important issue during campaign and to demand the Election Commission to pass an order banning using children below 18 years during election campaigns.

Earlier, addressing the gathering, Valored Director Renny D’Souza said that though providing free and compulsory education is the responsibility of the Gram Panchayats, it has not been happening anywhere. Hence, there is a need to reach out to each and every candidate contesting for GP election so that there is a sea change in attitude.
He said that every Gram Panchayat must have details on number of children in that particular GP.