Children’s Parliament in Varanasi to give voice to kids’ rights
By ANIWednesday, May 26, 2010
Varanasi, May 26 (ANI): A unique parliament comprising children in the age group of five to 14, organized the nomination process for the first ever elections of Children’s Parliament in Varanasi city on Wednesday.
large number of children turned up for the nomination process.
The children discussed their manifestoes, which enumerated the atrocities committed on children worldwide.
“Today, we are hosting the nomination procedure for the children’s parliament. It’s a type of parliament, which is the first of its kind in the whole world. In no country, anyone is so enlightened about the rights of the children as it is here in India. And it is for the first time in India we tried to analyze the minds of the children,” said Rajiv Srivastava, Chairman, Vishal Bharat Sansthan (Great India Organization), which houses the children’s parliament.
The city has been divided into six zones for the elections slated to be held on June 4.
The candidates represent regional Bal Vikas Party (Children’s Development Party), Bharatiya Baccha Party (Indian Children’s’ Party) and Bal Janata Party while three are independent candidates.
Prospective children’s representatives displayed a lot of enthusiasm to project fellow kids’ concerns.
“We are ready to stand in the elections for children and win. We will try to lower the school fees, reduce the costs of books and stationery. We will provide clean drinking water. We will try to reduce the crime rate and also provide food to the school children, which they are not getting,” said Tazim Ali.
The budding parliamentarians read out speeches, debated and raised slogans against everyday problems such as child hunger, domestic violence, and caste discrimination.
The children’s parliament aims at protecting the rights of the children around the world. (ANI)