NGO develops state action plan to promote rights of migrant children

DNA: Bhubaneswar: Sunday, 22 November 2015.

A state level consultation aiming to create awareness about the rights of Migrant Children was organised in Bhubaneswar on Friday. The consultative meeting was organised by Aide et Action International- South Asia in association with Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) and Bernard van Leer Foundation at Hotel New Marrion.

During the meeting, ways to providing an inclusive atmosphere to the migrant children in terms of education, protection and healthy environment were discussed elaborately. The meeting also rendered its focus on strengthening convergence and collaboration with the government departments to extend services like ICDS, Education, Protection, and Healthcare for seasonal migrant children at various work sites in Bhubaneswar.

Umi Daniel, Migration Thematic Head, Aide et Action- South Asia at the meeting said, “The involvement of the ground level officials of different departments of government in the consultation has helped in bringing out a qualitative roadmap and this would certainly bring a great difference in the quality of life led by the migrant children.”

Sashiprava Bindhani, State Information Commissioner, informed that at present there is no mechanism to ensure legal movement of migrants.

As per Section 4 of the RTI Act, there are 17 items which should be displayed by each institution that also apply to work sites registered under the government. Hence, there is a need to create awareness among the migrant workers and encourage them to take help of RTI to assert their entitlements from their employers as well as the government.

Subas Singh, Chairman, Odisha Housing and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board who was also present at the meeting shared that the board will extend its support to the migrant families in accessing the basic social security schemes at the destination points. He also divulged that there is a plan to open crèches at the work sites.

Balianta block of Khurda district and Baranga block of Cuttack district stand as an exemplary model in the state on how continued education can be provided by the government at the destination points for migrants.

The project ‘Caring and Safe Environment for Migrant Children’ in way by the NGO has reached 2,679 migrant children in the age group of 0-14 years, and 764 in the age group of 0-6 years. They have been linked to government supported nutritional supplement projects like 'Take Home Ration Facility' at the work sites of Puri, Khurda and Cuttack district.

The meeting also divulged that around 174 children have been enrolled into the neighbouring schools of the work sites while more than 1,000 children were provided polio vaccination and 574 were immunised at the work sites with the help of AEA project staffs.

A detailed state action plan was developed at the consultative meeting that involved all stakeholders civil society organisations, state and district level government officials, development practitioners, facility owners, NGOs, research and academic institutions and intellectuals. It will be submitted to the state government.