On behalf of the Child-Friendly Salem, we organized stakeholders meeting on 16th April 2023 at DBAI. Fr. Casimir Raj the Director of DBAI, Mr. Xavier the Superintendent of the Reception unit, Mr. Kannan the Center Coordinator of CHILDLINE, Ms. Nirmala Devi the Project Coordinator of CFS were present. Mrs. Shalini, Mr. Gabriel, and the Team of Professors from Bishop Heber College, Trichy participated in the meeting. We discussed the following:
1.As per the national family health survey 2019-2021 – women married before the age of 18 years in Salem is 23.7%.its leads to early pregnancy and infant mortality. We need some awareness / Education /soft skill training programmes/ Modules for the working team. We should create modules to empower adolescent girls and boys. Those modules should be small discussion makings and activities. For example, modules should be based on empowerment and behaviour change in the community. The girl should learn to say no to marriage and abusive situations. Our Modules should be focused on the empowerment of girls in mental stability.
2. We focus on environmental sustainability. We should teach about electric power consumption. We should plan a target sheet for every child and give point system. If children use their situation to low consumption of electric power. It will be noted by themselves in target sheets. Winners are awarded by the Teacher.
3. Unnat Bharat Abhiyam’s vision is the holistic development of villages. Presently, 70% of the population in India living in rural areas engaged in an agrarian economy with agriculture and allied sectors employing 51% of the total workforce but accounting for only 17% of the country’s GDP. There are huge developmental disconnects between the rural and urban sectors such as inequity in health, education, incomes, and basic amenities as well as employment opportunities – all causing great discontent and large-scale migration to urban areas. The imperatives of sustainable development which are being felt more and more acutely worldwide also demand eco-friendly development of the villages and appropriate employment opportunities locally. Increasing urbanization is neither sustainable nor desirable. So far, our professional higher education institutions have largely been oriented to cater to the mainstream industrial sector and, barring a few exceptions, have hardly contributed directly to the development of the rural sector. Unnat Bhārat Abhiyān (UBA) is a much-needed and highly challenging initiative in this direction. We should plan to approach educational institutions to support working areas.
4. In Salem DBAI, we should plan a pilot study on identifying issues on children such as child marriage, Child Sexually Abuse, Child Labour, and Substance abuse. It will help us to identify gaps between laws and implementing factors. We should evaluate our work and expected impacts and unexpected impacts.
5. We should have a training programme for Field Coordinators about how to collect data from our working area. TOT for Project Coordinator on how to analyse the collective data from the area. This training programme will be held in the 3rd week of May 2023.
6. We should have a strategic plan for DBAI.
7. Renewal of MOU between the Don Bosco Anbu Illam and Bishop Hepper College.
Fr. Casimir Raj, the Director of Don Bosco Anbu Illam, Salem, gave a vote of thanks. With refreshments, the meeting was concluded.