NGOs prepare children’s manifesto

Mumbai: A few NGO’s have come together and have created ‘Balhakk Abhiyan’, a programme through which they have prepared a manifesto after conducting a survey in eight districts of Maharashtra including Mumbai.

They are now meeting and talking to political parties to include children's demands in their manifestos and work for children’s issues.

Balhakk Abhiyan, Maharashtra conducted a survey in Gadchiroli, Latur, Parbhani, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Jalna, Pune, Nanded and some parts of Mumbai city. “On the basis of the survey, we have prepared the children’s manifesto,” said Sudhakar Kshirsagar from Balhakk Abhiyan. Sankalp Manav Vikas (Parbhani), Kalapandhari (Latur), Vanchit Vikas Sanstha (Ahmednagar), Srushti Sanstha (Gadchiroli), Sparsh (Mumbai) and Vidhayak Bharati (Mumbai) carried out a survey with the guidance of CRY.

“We are trying to reach out to people living in communities to apprise them about  children’s demands and their rights. Secondly, we are giving our manifesto to political party leaders and their candidates. Till Wedne-sday, we have contacted nearly 150 persons from political circles,” said Kshirsagar.

“It is a trend for the last many years that no political party considers children because they are not their voters. No one includes children’s issues in their manifesto. This election is not an exception,” said B.P. Suryavanshi, state programme head for Balhakk Abhiyan.