Consultation on “Women and Child Rights”
9 April 2013, Youth
Hostel, Patna, Bihar
One day
consultation on “Women and Child Rights” was organized at Youth Hostel, Patna
on 9 April 2013. Nearly 28 participants
from different sectors and vigil groups participated in the consultation.
Adv. K.D. Singh
welcomed the participants and Resource Persons for the programme. Mr. John VM Juliana, Programme Manager
briefed about the concept of the consultation and he has highlighted the
present reality on crime again women and our response to take effective
measures to control the crime rate against women and children in India. He also briefly explained about Vigil India
Movement and its tireless effort in promoting human rights for more than 30
years.
Prof. Umesh
Pratap Singh, took a session on Women
and Child Rights. Prof. Umesh has
elaborated the Women and Child Rights issues in India and briefly outlined
Constitutional provisions and International Instruments such as Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. He also
emphasized that women and children do not enjoys the basic rights as men
enjoys. In India women are deprived of basic rights in the name of tradition
and culture particularly states like Bihar, UP, Orissa and Jharkhand still
practices witchcraft and forces the women folk as victims of such practices. At
the concluding, he insisted that NGOs and Civil Society Organizations must take
a pivotal role in protecting and promoting the rights of Women and Children by
organizing mass awareness campaigns in the regions.
The participants
were divided into two groups and they were asked to discuss the child labour
and child marriage issues that prevail in Bihar. One representative from each group presented
the issues discussed. Mr. Ram Chandar
Lal Singh and Dr. Rajesh Ranjan shared their concerns about the issues and
requested the Vigil India to organise similar programmes in Bihar to regroup
revitalise the Vigil Groups in Bihar.
Adv. K.D. Singh
summarized the highlights of the programme and expressed his gratitude to the
participants and the VIM for organizing a consultation at Patna.