“A society where every child will be ensured with all rights for the holistic development”
Odisha or Orissa is one of the 29
states of India, located in the East of India and having coastline of 485kms
along Bay of Bengal. Although Orissa is rich in biodiversity and natural
resources yet the state is ranked as poorest state in the country with 47.15% people
living below the poverty line. In terms of the development indicators like
literacy rate, infant mortality rate, per capita income, the living conditions
of the people of the State are considerably lower than National average.
Besides structural poverty the State also faces conjectural poverty( due to
floods, cyclones, droughts) and destitute poverty (of persons lacking money or
material to survive).The incidence of poverty is more in northern and
southern regions of the State and more prevalent among the scheduled tribes as
compared to scheduled castes.
Background of VCRO-
Voice For Child Right Orissa (VCRO), a
State-level alliance of people’s organisations and activists for protection and
promotion of child rights.The process of initiating Voice for Child Rights in
Orissa (VCRO) began in 16thJune 2004, by a large group
of like-minded voluntary organizations and individuals for protection and
promotion of child rights in the state of Orissa. Situational analysis was done
in regards to child rights, networking environment, its approach and function.
Consensus was emerged among the partners to give a formal shape of thoughts.
On 27th July 2004, the guiding principles were ratified by
the members with the inclusion of the fundamental principles of Accountability,
Transparency, Democratic Functioning and Collective Leadership.
.
Voice for Child Rights-Odisha started its functioning under
the leadership of Mr. RajendraMeher of YCDA who was selected as the first
convener of the alliance.He was succeeded by Mr. Uma Shankar Sahoo (Of ADHAR) a Post Graduate in
Political Science who has been elected and took leadership from January 2006.
In the year 2007 Mr AbulKalam Azad (Disha) took over
convenorship of VCRO through election. The alliance has a General body,
Core Committee, Executive Committee and a Convener.
The Alliance members had a
perspective building workshop facilitated by CRY personnel. In this workshop the
key child rights issues were identified by the members and it was decided that
the alliance will undertake a baseline survey to determine the course of
action. Now the alliance is progressing strategically and involved in creating
an environment for people centric advocacy.
From the beginning the VCRO is
constantly vigilant and conducting surveys on matters of Infant Mortality Rate,
Non Functional Educational System and Child Labour.
THE
PROTAGONIST BEHIND THE MOVEMENT
Mr.BidyutMohanty has been working in the development
sector for the last 15 years on issues of gender, participatory approach,
advocacy and programme monitoring and evaluation. He started work with Dalit
children of slums in Bhubaneswar and has been associated with ‘Agragami' on the
issues of tribals.
He founded SPREAD in 1989 with a commitment to work for
the betterment of displaced and underprivileged tribal populations with focus
on development of tribals in Koraput district of Odisha.
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