Panchayats that listen to children

Panchayats are supposed to listen to everyone, including children.

The child-friendly Panchayat initiative gives children chances to share their ideas and opinions on things that affect their well-being. Several States are encouraging children to take part regularly in Bal Sabhas and Bal Panchayats (children's assemblies and councils), while village elders try to solve the problems they raise.

In Maharashtra, some Bal Panchayats have worked to end child labour and child marriage, and have brought many children back to school. Bal Panchayat members get together to persuade parents and other adults to send their children back to school, and not to arrange marriages for girls who should be studying. Children persuading adults is harder than it sounds, and it works partly because the children speak for themselves.

Sangkhu Radhu Khandu Gram Panchayat in west Sikkim has paid great attention to children's needs and rights. It has built compound walls around schools to make them safer, and kitchens in schools so that mid-day meals are cooked cleanly. For this it has been declared a child-friendly Gram Panchayat.

The 'Children's Parliament', which grew out of Bunker Roy's 'Barefoot College' a few decades ago, gave poor children in rural Rajasthan a voice through education and democracy. Children aged 8 to 14 took part in governing, learning about democracy and social responsibility through night schools and Parliament-like elections.

The 'Parliament' followed proper procedures, including voter ID cards and campaigning. The elected children formed a 'Cabinet', which looked after school management and spoke up for the community's needs.

It built leadership and social awareness, helping children question unfair customs and press for change. They took up issues like access to education, sanitation and social equality. The Children's Parliament won many honours, including the World's Children's Honorary Award in 2001.