Children have a ‘manifesto’ for Bengal’s panchayat polls

Akash Bhowmick, a Class 9 student of Parulia Modern High School in Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district, will not vote in the upcoming panchayat elections. But he has several demands for the adults contesting in the polls.

“We cannot vote but there are several issues we want to convey to the elected panchayat members such as the lack of any security at our school and the absence of a proper drinking water facility,” Akash said at the release of a ‘manifesto’ highlighting the demands of the State’s children.

The manifesto, which focuses mainly on health and social issues faced by children in rural Bengal, was recently launched by two child rights organisations — the West Bengal Education Network (WBEN) and Child Rights and You (CRY). The

Key demands

Its key demands are clean and hygienic schools, regular supply of electricity and clean water to them, eradication of child marriage and child labour, and curbing gender discrimination. The manifesto also raised the demand that there should be at least one doctor in every Primary Health Centre in the villages.

Atindra Nath Das, regional director of CRY, said, “This is an attempt to remind politicians and governments in power that it is their obligation to undertake all measures to protect and promote child rights.”

WBEN officials said that the panchayat plays a key role in ensuring that child rights are protected. Elections to the rural bodies inthe State are scheduled for the first week of May.