Child-sensitive local government

Many readers might come across the news on children planners published in the back page of The Daily Star on 14 January 2015. 'Children the planners' revealed extraordinary tale of the young participants from Parerhat, Pirojpur who worked with union parishad (UP) on finding solutions to issues as diverse as health, sanitation, agriculture, and education. Road improvement plan suggested by young people not only benefitted children, but improved roads promise ease of movement for adults also. Though this development outcome was facilitated by Save the Children, it was made possible due to active support of UP willing to listen to the area's youngsters and take action to address their concerns.

Bangladesh is one of the earliest signatories of UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and there is enormous success in improving condition of children and young people. It has been stated in article 12(1), “States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child”.

The UN adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), one of the target against SDG 16 is to 'ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels'. Participation of children and young people is therefore of paramount importance in building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. The Goals, particularly through SDG 16, tackle another omission of the MDGs, that of governance, inclusion, participation, rights and security. The Goal's aim is to “Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels”.

Photovoice, has been a participatory action research methodology that enabled young people in Khulna to identify, represent and enhance their communities and life circumstances through photography in May 2014. It is a process that "entrusts cameras to the hands of people to enable them to act as recorders, and potential analysts for social action and change, in their own communities. Junior photographers interacted with the Mayor of Khulna, describing to him the operational process of Photovoice and reflecting on the problems and prospects of their locality.

The children's ability to showcase their socio-economic conditions through 'photostories' was appreciated by the mayor who pledged to support the participants in their future endeavors.

To recapitulate, local government has been suggested to empower including power to impose taxes for local purposes, to prepare their budgets and to maintain funds in article 60 of the Constitution. Child-sensitive local governance can contribute in ensuring responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at the local level.

The writer is human rights worker.