UNICEF, India sign visionary statement on child participation at local governance

Commemorating the 75th year of India’s Independence ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ UNICEF India Representative Yaumasa Kimura and Secretary Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) Sunil Kumar signed a visionary Joint Statement of Understanding. At the event, UNICEF committed to the rights of youth and children in India in line with the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UNICEF-India partnership aims to include the voices of youth and children in the Gram Sabhas through the provision of Bal/ Balika (Children) Sabhas. According to UNICEF, one-third of India’s population comprises children, adolescents and young people constituting 22 percent of the total population. 

“UNICEF is proud to partner and provides technical collaboration under this partnership with the MoPR, to strengthen outcomes for children across all social sectors, ” said Yasumasa Kimura, Representative of UNICEF India. 

The Bal Sabhas will identify children’s priorities and integrate these into the Gram Panchayat Development Plans, the UNICEF informed in a release. “This is to ensure that policies, social protection schemes, and programs are inclusive and relevant to the needs and aspirations of children and adolescents,” it went on to add. The India UNICEF partnership program was struck in accordance with Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It focuses on providing the right platform for every child to freely express their views. It will also be pivotal in driving better SDG outcomes for children for programs focusing on child survival, child protection, child development, and child participation through a decentralized and participatory approach. 

'We all need to come together..'

At the launch of the program, Sunil Kumar, Secretary MoPR said, “We all need to come together, not just the Central and state governments but the domain experts, academic institutions, IGOs/ NGOs, and the Panchayats in a Whole of Society approach. UNICEF’s presence here today is an acknowledgement of the need for convergence, collaboration, and commitment to the localization of SDGs. We thank them for the support.”

Meanwhile, in a statement, Asumasa Kimura, Representative  UNICEF India said, “The UNICEF-MoPR partnership will ensure that children and young people’s voices are an integral part of the decision-making processes of the Gram Panchayat.” He continued, “Boys and girls will be engaged in the policies and development plans, impacting their lives. We are confident that this model will bring children’s aspirations on nutrition, health, learning, engagement, and protection, to the core of the village agenda."