Balapanchayat under Kudumbashree in Kerala

Abstract

Child rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of theChild (UN-CRC) are broadly classified into rights of children for Survival,Development, Protection and Participation. The concept ofneighbourhood network of children for enhancing child participation incommunity development process, experimented by UNICEF is extensivelyimplemented under Kudumbasree Mission in Kerala. The three tier systemof balasabha, balasamathi and balpanchayat established in the panchayatunder the Kudumbashree Mission, are the structured grassroot levelneighbourbood network of children for ensuring the development andparticipation in the rights of children. The prime objective of constitutingbalasabhasis to prevent inter-generational transmission of poverty throughcapability enhancement of children. A case study of the balasabhas inChendamangalm panchayat in Ernakulam district was undertaken to identify
the actual performance of the balasabhas. The findings of the study showedthat the programme provides opportunities for children to develop theirskills and talents as well as ample opportunities for building up better socialrelationships. This network for the children could be seen as the structuralsocial capital formed in the villages on which children and their families canrely upon to realize the child rights for development and participation. Thenetwork is providing a secular platform and an enabling environment forsocio-cultural and educational development of the children. The properinstitutional mechanism with adequate financial support from local selfgovernments.is necessary to empower these children’s forums so that issuesand concerns of children are continuously brought to the attention of thepanchayats for proactive solutions.