Advancing Child-Friendly Governance: Educo and PREM’s Strategic Meeting with CM Mohan Mahi
Rayagada, (Badal Tah): A delegation led by Educo India Country Director, Mr. Guruprasad, and the PREM team, represented by Dr Jacob Thundyil, President, PREM alongwith leaders of Odisha Adivasi Manch from Koraput, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Gajapati, Mayurbhanj and other districts coming under Schedule-V of Indian Constitution, met with the Chief Minister of Odisha, Mohan Charan Majhi.
During the meeting, the delegation briefed the CM on Educo’s work in India, with a special focus on its efforts to eradicate child labour and child marriage in Kandhamal district. The team submitted a list of demands, requesting the Chief Minister’s intervention in directing the relevant ministries to take targeted actions for the protection and well-being of children and adolescents. Additionally, the delegation emphasized the importance of involving children in the governance processes in Odisha, highlighting how critical this participation is for their development.
The discussion also touched upon the need to promote awareness of child rights and child protection. The delegation proposed strengthening the Child-Friendly Legislators’ Forum, launched by Educo and PREM, to foster the development of child-friendly constituencies. A key suggestion was to organize a series of orientation sessions for the Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) on child rights and child care and protection mechanisms. These sessions would equip legislators with the necessary knowledge to better understand the situation of children and the laws and programs related to their care and protection.
The CM acknowledged the importance of such a program, particularly given that many of the legislators elected to the assembly in the recent election on June 2024 are new and would benefit from being oriented on these critical issues. He also emphasized the need for strong interventions for child protection in light of ongoing atrocities in various states and emphasized the role of the state and its institutions in safeguarding children. The meeting concluded with an assurance from the Chief Minister to provide all possible supports to Educo and PREM in executing their programs for the overall well-being of children.
This meeting was crucial for Educo and PREM as it served to inform the new government, formed in June 2024, about its work in Odisha. With the change in government, there has been a shift in officials who were previously sensitized to Educo and PREM’s programs. This meeting was an important step in building a relationship with the new administration and securing their support in strengthening Educo’s interventions in the state of Odisha.
