Sixty-one children from schools all over the Capital, the new as well as old parts, discussed the fundamental right of childhood – the right to play and the city’s ability to provide them this right in the form of well-maintained playgrounds at the “3 Children Consultancy on Right” here on Wednesday.
The consultancy, organised by Delhi Child Rights Club and supported by NGO Butterflies, dwelt on issues like encroachment and the non-availability and accessibility of parks mainly because of the recent trend of gated parks.
Security and cleanliness issues were also discussed in minute detail with the children breaking into smaller groups and coming up with workable solutions to all their play problems. The problems and solutions offered by the children were made into a memorandum. “All children should have access to playground within a walking distance of their home” is the first memo point followed by “All schools should open their playgrounds for community children after school hours.”
Other important points that the children want the grown-ups to note is -- children parks should not be used for parties and marriages, all children should access parks for at-least five hours a day, children groups must be created in all the residents’ welfare associations to ensure that their interests are represented, dustbins and parking spaces should be created in all colonies to prevent encroachment of parks in the form of garbage dumps and parking lots, all the parks and sports facilities created or developed at the time of Commonwealth Games should be made accessible to all and access to parks must break all barriers of class, gender and age and traditional games and sports must be encouraged.
The children also had some important things to say to their schools -- appoint qualified sports/ physical education teachers in schools to create a culture of sports and play, allocate designated time slots everyday for sports and equip them with relevant and appropriate play materials and facilities.
The memo also has this: “We children would be happy to come together with senior citizens to work out a solution which would allow us both to use the parks.”
The memorandum will later be presented to the Delhi Chief Minister, Sports Minister and the Mayors.
