WITH DREAMS OF BECOMING A DOCTOR, RAVI SEEKS BASIC RIGHTS

By Frederick Noronha

PANJIM, June 2: Ravichand would like to be a doctor. And the fact
that he comes from an underpriviledged background does not stop
him from dreaming....

"Ravi" is one of the 104 young boys and girls who recently took
part in a daylong camp for children who belong to the
disadvantaged groups held at Don Bosco's and organised by the
Butterflies group of New Delhi and CRG-Goa.

Some were child workers, others were street children or school
drop-outs.

In the workshops, the children were guided by facilitators
towards prioritises their rights which have been most denied and
violated. They also worked towards plans to collectively advocate
for these rights to be restored.

"Nine of the 12 groups present had education as their highest
priority. The next highest among most was the right to a family.
Others also spoke out against violence and exploitation. There
were children aged between 4 and 12," said Desmond 'Demi' de
Souza, a Redemptorist priest working on social justice issues.

"Interestingly, some children also made out a case why they would
like to have a chance to play. They said if they play they win
prizes, and also stay healthy this way," said de Souza.

"It was a good chance. This meeting was nice. We got a chance to
talk, and also had a small drama (staged by us)," said Ravi,
speaking to the Herald after the day's events.

Some 104 children participated in the Panjim event, and another
was planned the subsequent day at Dyanparasarak School in Mapusa.

Campaigners working for the rights of underpriviledged children
would like to hold similar events in other main towns of Goa,
including Margao, Vasco and Ponda.

Said Raj Vaidya, who runs the prominent Hindu Pharmacy in Panjim
and takes an active interest in such issues: "One major problem
with the issues of marginalised children is that they are hardly
raised. Even by planners. If you talk about these children, they
are simply dismissed by calling them 'migrants'."

Other campaigners however pointed out that children from poorer
backgrounds were deprived of their rights in Goa, by pointing to
their states of origin, even many decades after their parents had
opted to live and work in Goa.

This meeting was a follow up of the workshop on the UN Convention
on the Rights of the Child and Children's Participation which was
held in July 1999 for 22 grassroots workers of 11 non-profit
organisations and action groups.

It was organised by Butterflies, New Delhi a group which is in
the process of conducting training and networking initiatives for
grassroots workers and children in six States in India.

Rita Panicker, Director of Butterflies, was present for the
programme. Diverse group working with disadvantaged children
across the state -- including teachers and lecturers working in
mainstream education -- took part in the programme.

Said Panicker: "Children coming together can form a plan of
action, saying this is what we want. The question is how do we,
as adults, partner with them to try and get it."

Local organisers said they will be taking these plans of action
to a broader forum of non-profit organisations and action groups,
"with the hope to partner with the children of Goa and campaign
for their implementation".