QIC & AC Delhi -Monthly Meeting – November 2008

Date: 26 November, 2008 Thursday
Venue: Meeting room, CRY office, DDA Slum wing, Barat Ghar, Bapu Park, Kotla MubarakPur
Time: 2 to 5 P.M

Participants: Name & Organization
1. Alam, SADARG, Noida
2. Jeetender Kumar Singh, PAHAL
3. Amit Jha, Volunteer, CRY
4. Jayanta Saikia, Asst. Coordinator, CRY
5. MM Vidyarthi, Member CWC
6. R B Yadav, CWC member
7. R. Nalini, Aditi College
8. Kiran Modi, Udayan Care
9. Suman, Balika Ashram
10. Vikram Dutt, Udayan Care
11. Shahina K K, Praxis
12. S P Sharma, Superintendent, Bal Sahyoga
13. Abhishek Awasthi, Advocate, Supreme Court
14. Vikram Srivastava, CRY
15. Dhaneswar Yadav, Pediatrics Depts., AIIMS
16. Ritu Mehra, Pardarshita
17. P. K. Tiwari, GDS Society
18. Binod Kumar Singh, NIRMANA

Apologies received:
1. Ratna Saxena, Prayas Observation Home
2. Bharati Sharma, CWC Member
3. Neelam Sukhramani, lecturer JM
4. Nisha, Bal Vikas Dhara
5. Sashi Prakash, Aide-et-action
6. R.A.Agarwal
7. Kiran Jyoti, HRLN

The agenda for the meeting
1. QIC & AC's PIL on Child Labour pending before the Delhi High Court: Sharing of the recent Court's Hearing by advocate Abhishek Awasti & discussion on future plan of action
2. Sharing of discussion in NCPCR by QIC& Ac members
3. "Foster care & deinstitutionalization": the recent development in Foster Care Rules by Delhi Government & relevancy of "Delhi Foster Care Placement rules 2004" prepared by QIC & AC, Delhi in collaboration of Department of Social welfare, Delhi,
4. Recent development in Ministry / Department of woman and child etc
5. Sharing of Blogsite: www.qicacdelhi.blogspot.com
6. as other issue suggested by the group


QIC & AC's PIL (1500/2006) on Child Labour & future action plan
The QIC & AC‘s PIL on the child labour, which was filed in 2006, is the issue of concern before the group as the group felt a urgent need to address the issue of child labour, without wasting time, by concerned authority.

Advocate Abhishek Awasthi shared the last hearing that held on 15 October 2008, before the bench of Chief Justice of Delhi High Court. The bench enquired the Counsel standing on behalf of QIC & AC, whether any data is available on The Child Labour in Delhi. The next hearing will be in the month of January.

Here the QIC & AC Members maintained the following points should be present before the Court:
1. The plea of QIC & AC Delhi before the court is to let the government implement the M C Mehta Judgment. So the repeatition of the prayer with figure sought by the court is suggested by the group.
2. The non availability of an authentic figure is a problem before the group. The various data and researches done by various organizations and agencies like Oxfam, IGSS, Jeri Ponto- UNICEF, Chetna, Valadhikar, Salam Balak Trust, The 1992 census by Mahavir Jain from National Child Labour organization are some of documents referred by the members but the underlying contradiction between the figures is a point to be worried. The group hoped that this contradiction may convince the court that vast number of children living on the streets.
3. Engaging a senior Counsel to stand on behalf of QIC & AC is also a suggestion come from the group and the Advocate Abhishek Awasthi appreciated this suggestion.
4. Need of a meeting with the Judges to sensitize on the issue is also felt by the group. Vikram Dutt will take the initiative in this direction.

Foster Care & Deinstitutionalization:
M M Vidyarthi referred the sharing of QIC & AC’s contribution on Foster care by two of our members Bharati Sharma & Ratna Saxena in the consultation “on conditions of Juveniles Home” conducted by Delhi Commission for Protection of child Rights, on 31 October and the latest development in the department. Members of QIC & AC feels the need of a talk on latest developments on Foster care Rules, with the Secretary of Social Welfare Department as early as possible to flag out various issues have to be addressed, to evaluate government’s latest draft bill and ensure the participation of civil society in the Rule making process.

[One of our member, Ratna Saxena, visited the Secretary on 26.11.2008 and bring into her notice, the initiative of QIC & AC on Foster care and handed her a copy of draft Foster care which the Secretary ordered for institutionalization within four / five days. In an earliest date another round of meeting with the secretary will be fixed.]


Sharing of discussion in NCPCR Meeting by QIC & AC members:
The stand of QIC & AC Delhi how to present in NCPCR going to be held on 11 & 12 December, 2008, was the point of discussion here.
A detail discussion held on child labour linking and interlinking it with the following issues:
· Awareness
· Education
· Poverty
· Population Control Policy
· Lack of coordination of Government Department in ground level
· Tools of Monitoring, accountability and social audit
· Communitisation
· Need of coordination between the NGOs

Other issues suggested by the group
i) Surrogacy:
In reference to the earlier mail by QIC & AC Delhi, Dhaneswar Yadav from AIIMS expressed the need of a panel discussion on Assisted Reproductivity Technology (ART) Bill & Rules 2008. As an emerging issue, the group members extend their support to this and wish it will be instrumental for building capacity on the issue from expertise on the field.

It was agreed that QIC&AC may not have its expertise on the issue, but as it concerns rights of child, QIC&AC can always facilitate and provide platform for discussions in the best interest of children.

ii) Mental Health & QIC & AC Delhi
Kiron Modi and Vikram Dutt shared their meeting with Ms. Shanta Sinha, Chairperson, NCPCR regarding organising a series of workshop on the issue of Mental Health of Children within Institutions under the aegis of NCPCR & QIC&AC to be organised by Udayan Care. The whole QIC&AC group supported the plan and agreed to provide all possible support.

The group also discussed the earlier work of QIC&AC on the issue of Mental Health like the Delhi Declaration of Mental Health, workshops by Saarthak and quality indicators.

QIC&AC Blogsite
The QIC & AC Delhi blogsite “www.qicacdelhi.blogspot.com” was presented before the group for approval and suggestion. It draws wide appreciation and a few suggestions come from the members which have to be incorporated soon in the blog:
* Details of Members expertise & field of work
* Logo of QIC & AC Delhi
* A discussion forum or platform for readers feedback


Decisions taken:
1. It was agreed that QIC&AC may not have its expertise on the issue of Surrogacy, but as it concerns rights of child, QIC&AC can always facilitate and provide platform for discussions in the best interest of children. A penal discussion on the Assisted Reproductively Technology (ART) Bill & Rules 2008.is going to be organized by QIC & AC Delhi.
2. It was also decided that QIC&AC should distribute responsibilities to its members and become lateral in terms of its face for outsiders. The concept of thematic leaders was discussed and was approved by all members. Udayan Care agreed to be the thematic leader on Foster care which includes group foster care.
3. It was also decided that in the next monthly meeting of QIC & AC Delhi, it will be decided how to move forward on the issue of Mental Health and make a complete plan of action.


Future Plan of Action
1. Organizing a round of meetings / discussions with a few Justices, sensitive to child right issues.
2. It was decided the Next QIC & AC Meeting will be held on: 4th December 2008 and focus of the meeting will be to take the matter of Mental Health further.
Time: 2.30 PM
Venue: Udayan Care office, 16/19A, Vikram Vihar, Lajpat Nagar IV, and Gate no: 11, Behind Vikram Hotel
Agenda: Mental Health & Future plan of action to take the matter further