Child-Rights Friendly Wards (CRFWs): Advocacy with Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)
ULBs consist of elected representatives (Councillors, Ward Members) in the city/municipal corporation, who have an obligation to deliver good governance including basic amenities such as healthcare access, sanitation and drainage, proper roads, electricity, safe drinking water, education access for children and so on. In advocacy work with ULBs, APSA reminds them to fulfil their electoral responsibilities, while at the same time empowering local communities to take part in Ward Meetings to address child rights-related issues with them.
Working with ULBs through interface with Ward Councillors or other local administration officials through Child-Rights Friendly Ward (CRFW) meetings has enabled APSA to assist local communities access amenities, entitlements and welfare schemes in 20 urban slums in the eight working constituencies in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. A CRFW is one that has the active participation of children in local governance in identifying and resolving community issues and those related to children. With support from APSA and local CBOs, children’s collectives in the working areas are encouraged to participate in local Ward Committee meetings in the decision-making, implementation and monitoring of children’s issues. APSA’s vision is for duty-bearers to become, in time, accountable to children for addressing child-related issues, and for children to have a more powerful say in decision-making and formulation of child-rights friendly budgets.
To ensure that children have the capacity to participate, discuss local issues and involve in effective decision making, APSA capacitates its children’s collectives through training on data collection, documentation, presentation, leadership, communication, conflict resolution and time management, thereby increasing children’s own capabilities for empowerment and change. Children who display heightened capacities for presentation and deep understanding of children’s issues are chosen for representation in CRFW meetings.
Some of the issues presented and addressed at CRFW meetings have included housing and public toilet facilities, corruption of government staff, regularizing garbage collection and disposal, lack of public transportation, repair of roads or streetlights or clean drinking water, sanitation problems, stores selling liquor or tobacco/ tobacco products to underage children (those below 18 years), eve-teasing of school/ college-going girls and women by local youth and increasing police patrolling for their protection, infrastructure and other issues in anganwadis and schools (fee structure, uniforms, midday meals, building and playground, toilet facilities, etc.), and starting of skill training centres in local communities for youth to access better jobs.
