JOIN USDalit families complain of child rights violations
She was venting out her frustration at the public grievances meet with regard to violation of child rights at anganwadis, schools, hostels. The meet was organised by Samajika Parivarthana Janandola, in collaboration with various organisations at Kolar on Friday.
Muninagamma has four children who are of the age to go to anganwadi. She had submitted an appeal to the the Women and Child Development Department in June, 2009, but so far it has not been fulfiled.
“How can the small children go to an anganwadi one km away? Even when we tried to send them there, they developed intestine infection after eating the food provided there and we stopped sending the children there” , she said.
Muninagamma and others explained their grievances to the committee comprising Phillip Matthew of Human Rights Commission, State Child Rights Commission president Dr Nina P Naik and president of Backward Classes Permanent Commission Dr C S Dwarakanath and Veena Rai.
The problems faced by the villagers were peculiar like for instance as explained by girl Soumya, in Huvalli the anganwadi was situated right in front of the crematorium and the children regularly witnessed dead bodies being cremated. The place is very dirty and the food gets contaminated and children suffer stomach infection regularly. Ramakka of Ankandahalli said the food provided at the anganwadi was causing health hazards to her children and hence she was not sending her children there.
Manjula of Majare village, Jannaghatta, Bangarpet taluk said she discontinued going to school as she was teased by street boys on the way to her school at Harati High school.
After hearing out the grievances of the public the committee submitted a report to the chief of Janandolana Ipalli Narayanaswamy.
The report contained recommendations to stop providing food packets to anganwadis and provide basic amenities, start new anganwadis wherever needed, attend to problems of hostels.
The report would be submitted to deputy commissioner, district in charge minister, chief minister and prime minister, he said.
‘Empower women’
State Human Rights Commission chairman S R Nayak has said that 50 per cent reservation should be given to women at all level. Only if they have they have the authority can the community problems be solved, he added.
Speaking after inaugurating the grievances meet he said there is no need for technical differences between man and woman. The power should be distributed in such a way that her personality and her abilities are respected, he urged.