LISTEN, CHILDREN SPEAK
Thursday, June 12, 2008

Every year World Day against Child Labour is observed on 12th June wherein experts meet, leaders make speeches and once again more promises are made to eradicate child labour. Professionals debate, arguments are made and slogans are repeated that Child Labour is the cause of poverty and not the other way around. Solutions are prescribed which seem simple and logical, enforce education to eradicate child labour.

While many believe that children have rights – survival, development, protection and participation but it is obvious we have not arrived there, not anywhere close. Similarly, most also agree that no children should be exploited as in child labour but should have the facility and support to go to school and enjoy quality education. However as of today this is a goal to be achieved and for many children, a dream to be realized.

With the belief that children too are stakeholders and they are partners in our efforts towards ensuring their rights, CASP jointly with Butterflies, leading child rights organizations in India, is organizing an event called LISTEN, CHILDREN SPEAK at Satyagraha Mandap, Gandhi Darshan, Near Rajghat from 9:30 am -5:30 pm, to look at ideas and experiences which the children have regarding causes of child labour and their suggestions to address the problem. In the environment of the presence of the spirit of our Father of our Nation, 150 marginalized children from 20 grassroots NGOs of Delhi, committed to protection of Children’s Rights, are coming together to share their thoughts ,views and opinions on issues of their concern with the adult world.

Anchored by children themselves the event will begin with young participants discussing in groups What are the causes of child labour and what should be done to abolish child labour followed by children from each of the participating NGOs presenting through skits, songs and dance their thoughts on various child rights related issues like mental abuse of children, child labour, child trafficking, drugs and children, juvenile justice, female foeticide, Children and HIV/AIDS and many more.

The outcome will be a consolidation of children’s group discussion into DELHI CHILDREN’S DECLARATION ON CHILD LABOUR that will be presented to the South Asia Regional Congress on Child Labour and Education at the Constitution Club.

The day will end with the Valedictory session wherein children will present their views to the dignitaries and await for their response

A rolling child rights trophy for Child Rights Quiz has been instituted with the support from UNODC Global Initiative to Fight Trafficking (GIFT). The winning NGO will be awarded with a trophy and a cash prize by the chief guest. This would be an annual feature showcasing the commitment of NGOs, as well as encouraging them towards the protection of child rights.

FIFTH ANNUAL LECTURE SERIES ON CHILDREN
Monday, March 17, 2008

BUTTERFLIES has a strong advocacy and research programme to promote rights of children among civil society and influence government policies which collaborates and networks within and beyond the country. As a part of our advocacy effort, we organize, every year Annual Lecture Series since the year 2003 called First Call for Children to engage and involve various sections of society on specific themes pertaining to the state of children in the country. Our experience has been that children are still being seen as recipients of welfare and charity and not as equal citizens having their own human rights.

The theme selected for the next Annual lecture is ‘Media and Children.’ Media today has become a pervasive factor continuously exercising its influence on the people including children. On one hand media is playing an important role of providing information but on the other hand media sometimes plays irresponsible role of not being sensitive to what it presents to the audience. Children of impressionable age, today, are biggest victim of the irresponsible form and content of existing media coverage. Therefore there is a need to review the influence of media on children in context of child rights and to search for some essential principle of responsible media coverage and presentation. All this brings forth a need of media code of conduct.

The Annual Lecture on ‘Media and children’ would be addressed by eminent media personalities and social experts.

Shri Suhas Borker, an eminent independent documentary filmmaker and social activist will give the keynote address.

The programme details are:

First Call for Children: Annual Lecture Series on Children: Media and Children

Organised by Butterflies

Date : 17 March, 2008

Time: 2.00 PM

Venue: Auditorium, India International Centre, New Delhi

It would be our pleasure and honour to have you for the event.

International Training Workshop on the Children’s Development Bank in December
Thursday, December 06, 2007

Butterflies is organizing two back to back international training workshops on the Children’s Development Bank from 6th to 14th December 2007 in New Delhi. These workshops are planned as a follow up to the three previous training workshops which were organized respectively in Delhi and Chennai in April and December 2005. CDB members and the adult facilitators from CDB partner organizations will participate in the training workshop. While the first workshop will focus on various aspects of CDB such as principles, values, objectives, documentation etc. which is meant for younger children, the second training workshop will focus on training in starting and managing businesses and is meant for adolescents.

BUTTERFLIES PARTICIPATION IN QUINTESSENCE 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007

In continuation with Lady Irwin College’s unfailing support and goodwill towards Butterflies and after the huge success of Quintessence 2006, Butterflies will once again put up a stall during Quintessence 2007 on all 4 days (21st-24th November) in the college campus from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm.

The proceeds from the sale will support education, health care, vocational training, legal aid and counseling of street and working children and will also be used for the restoration of neglected street children and missing children back to their families.

SHOP FOR A CAUSE AND BE PARTNER IN CHANGE.

SHORT FILM ON CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT BANK
Wednesday, September 12, 2007

In the recent past, number of media channels have covered Butterflies activities with street and working children. Media personnels from CNN, BBCand Al Jazeera have specially flown to Dehi to cover one of the most innovative programme of Butterflies- Children's Development BanK (CDB).

Children’s Development Bank project of Butterflies is a life skill education, integrated within our education programme.

This component teaches children why and how to save, how to budget and how to use the savings for one’s empowerment. Parallel are taught the skills of accounting, maintaining cashbook, ledger, passbooks, drawing out rules and regulations. Above all, working in a team, managing one’s own money and be accountable for other children’s money. Alongwith, the children are taught how to draw up rules and regulations and follow them.

For this most vulnerable section of the society, in more than one way CDB has become their lifeline.

The short film made by Al Jazeera can be viewed by copying and pasting the following links to the address column:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8zMV-NTrsok

http://youtube.com/watch?v=yJGlx7MNC_s

Rally against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on International Day June, 2007 in Little Andaman
Wednesday, June 27, 2007

In Little Andaman, a rally was organized on ‘International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking’ 27 June 2007, in partnership with the Hut Bay village Gram-Panchayat. It is very common here to see children chewing tobacco products such as paan, cigarette, gutkha etc. with their friends, however, they have very low awareness about the consequences of substance abuse on their health.

The rally had a great impact, two days after rally, two children were sent to buy a Paan, but the shopkeeper refused to give them. They again tried from another shop but were again refused by shopkeeper. Mr. Palani Swamy Hut Bay Panchayat Pradhan, Mr. Mishra, SHO – Police Station, Hut Bay Little Andaman, and the shopkeepers actively supported the rally.

The Hut Bay Gram Panchayat has taken a decision to pursue the issue forward by deciding to put display boards in public places to raise awareness amongst the shopkeepers and public including children to remain away from the tobacco products.

Around 300 children, 10 PRI members, PTA President and 50 social workers from Butterflies and other NGOs participated in the rally. Hut Bay Gram Panchayat Pradhan Mr. Palani Swamy and PTA President Mrs. Geeta Rao flagged the rally.

Butterflies Broadcasting Children goes LIVE @ 90.4 FM
Friday, May 25, 2007

Butterflies Broadcasting Children has taken one step ahead after getting a great response and positive feedback of BBC Radio Programmes on Radio Jamia 90.4 FM. The FM station had shown interest to invite BBC children for Live Broadcast. Started in April, BBC children have spread their voices live wherein they share their experience and talents with the world. The Bhojpuri song sung by Intezar of Fatehpuri on 25th May was highly appreciated by the listeners and it was on listeners request that he was called again by the FM station.

On 14th August, children went live yet again to celebrate India's 60th Independence Day.

Children associated with BBC have produced a new Radio Drama – AIDS KA KIDA and have also scripted a new programme on missing children.

Port Blair - PRI Consultation Meet 2007
Saturday, May 19, 2007

In Port Blair, Butterflies organized PRI Consultation Meet 2007, on 19 May 2007, supported by ‘Save the Children UK’. A concrete action plan was developed with proper timelines to ensure ‘Child Protection Cell’ becomes functional at village level with following objectives-
1. Prevention of drug addiction, child physical abuse, sexual abuse and mental abuse.
2. Encouraging children to enroll in schools, and encouraging parents to provide children with nutritional food for physical & mental health.
3. Motivating children with dreams & goals through history of freedom struggle of India, and biographies of great leaders of India.

People from Ograbraj village, Wimberlygunj Panchayat, Stewartgunj Panchayat, Namunaghar shelter, Naya Basti, Bambooflat Panchayat, and Tushnabad village actively participated in the consultation meet.

Child Protection Solidarity March for Missing Children
Monday, April 30, 2007

Delhi Child Rights Club had organized a Child Protection Solidarity March and a public meeting on 30th April 2007 at Jantar Mantar. Objective of this solidarity march and public meeting was to help children to raise their concerns upon the issue of protection of children from abuse and worst forms of exploitations, with special focus on the plight of missing children. Nearly 300 children representing 10 DCRC member organizations and adult supporters representing different Delhi based organizations committed to the cause of child protection participated in the march and public meeting. Children submitted a memorandum to President of India -Shri. APJ Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister of India - Shri. Manmohan Singh, Speaker of the Loksabha -Shri. Somnath Chatterjee, Chairperson, United Progressive Alliance- Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Minister of Women and Child Development- Smt. Renuka Chowdhury and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha - Shri. L. K. Advani so that every child gets a protection from all dangers of abuse, exploitation and all missing children are restored back to their families.

Children’s Development Bank Exchange Programme in Italy
Wednesday, April 11, 2007

7 child volunteer managers of CDB from Butterflies (New Delhi), Mahila Development Centre (Muzaffarpur), Aschiana (Kabul) and Kantha Shakthi (Colombo) visited Italy from 11th to 25th April 2007 for an exchange programme. They spoke about the CDB to representatives of Italian Government, provincial governments of Italy, UNICEF, NGOs, school and college students and addressed many press meetings. They traveled to Vicenza, Padua, Florence, Sienna, Rome, Bologna, Prato and Milan. Those who attended the meetings appreciated the CDB for empowering the street and working children with life skills. The CDB delegation also spoke about the situation of street and working children in their respective countries. The exchange programme was widely covered by the Italian media and it was facilitated by Associazione Solidarieta e Cooperazione (A.So.C.), Italy.

Butterflies achieves Second Prize in the 2006 Global Development Awards for the Most Innovative Development
Monday, January 01, 2007

The Global Development Awards, launched in 2000, is the largest international contest that aims to unearth new talent, support innovative ideas and attracts more than 700 applications every year. The awards are given to the institution whose ongoing project embodies a fresh approach to an important development need and holds the greatest promise for benefiting the poor in developing and transition countries. Criteria include the degree of innovation and the potential for broad application of the project in other countries. Butterflies, India has won the second prize for its “Children's Development Bank Project”.