Ms.Lalitha, a fourteen year old child from AID India’s Children’s Parliament program from Kezhkottai Village, Kaveripakkam Block, Krishnagiri district took part in the Children’s consultation workshop organized by UNICEF held on the 3rd and 4th of February,2010 at Delhi.The children Parliament Program was supported by UNICEF and implemented by AID INDIA.

The primary goal of the workshop as outlined by Ms.Angela Walker of Unicef, was to make children’s voices heard and through this understand their perspectives on participation and child rights. The first day began with activities that helped the children from across the country get to know each other. The children were then each asked to invent a symbol that would represent themselves and explain why they had chosen the particular symbol. Lalitha drew a stethoscope with the words ‘Health is Wealth’ written around it. She explained her choice by saying that there are many people in our villages who suffer from illnesses and that she would like to become a doctor and alleviate their suffering.

This was followed by a group discussion on the changes participating in UNICEF programs has brought about in the children. They were asked to share their personal experience of participation with the group and challenges they faced. There were children from different programs such as child reporters, those working on gender related and health issues, children’s parliament, those working with child labourers and street children and groups working with girls from disadvantaged communities. The exchange of experiences taught the participants a lot and also brought forth many questions. One question that constantly came up was concerning child labour. Many children wanted to know what child labourers would do to fulfill their basic needs if they were asked to give up their jobs. As one child put it, ‘A job fills my stomach, school doesn’t.

The discussions that followed encouraged the children to define child rights in their own words and look closer at what participation means as a right. The participants were grouped by State and were asked to analyse whether participation is possible in their homes, schools and the community and in the projects they’re a part of; to what extent they participate and what they would like to participate in that is denied to them now. Finally, the consequences of non-participation were also discussed. These discussions were interspersed with games and activities that the children thoroughly enjoyed. They were also given opportunities to speak their minds and raise questions at the end of every discussion.

Every State made a brief presentation summarizing what was discussed. This showed that while all children agreed that participation is possible in all platforms (viz., home,school,community and their project), their opinions and wishes aren’t taken into account by adults where important decisions are concerned. They are given a say only in what they consider insignificant matters such as choosing their own clothes. All of them reported the highest level of participation in the Unicef projects they work in and said that this has increased their self confidence. Among the consequences of non participation, the children felt that when they are not consulted in important decisions regarding their lives, they might end up unhappy and dissatisfied. They also felt that children would grow up into self centred adults incapable of making decisions and handling responsibility if they are not encouraged to participate when young.

The workshop ended with a feedback session and a promise from Unicef to conduct more such consultations at the state level where children have a chance to speak to the decision makers of their needs and share their experiences with peers.

The participants were taken on a tour of Delhi on the last day. The children had a great day out at the India gate, National museum and Gandhi memorial before they left to their home States.