Election manifesto for children released in Salem

Salem Don Bosco Anbu Illam unveils election manifesto 'Voice to be Heard- The Future Voters' for child welfare.

Don Bosco Anbu Illam released an election manifesto for the welfare of children titled ‘Voice to be Heard- The Future Voters’ on Monday.

Casimir Raj, Director of Don Bosco Anbu Illam, Salem, delivered the welcome address, outlining the purpose of the manifesto.

The key aspects of the manifesto were discussed by panellists, including Thirunavukarasu, Assistant Professor of Microbiology at Government Medical College; S.V. Govindaraju, former Joint Director of Collegiate Education; James Arockiasamy, district chairman of New Generation; Barnabas, general secretary of the Salem Historical Society; and Abishek, Project Manager at Don Bosco Anbu Illam.

The manifesto centres around four fundamental rights outlined by the Central government as per the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). These rights include the right to survival, the right to development, the right to participation, and the right to protection.

Emphasising alignment with international standards, the initiative highlighted the need to adjust the Indian policy on child definition to adhere to the UN’s classification, which considers individuals aged 0–18 years as children.

The participants underscored the urgency of addressing delays in legal proceedings related to child protection cases. Demand to increase budget allocation and manpower in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) courts and transparent reporting on budget utilization to ensure effective resource allocation. Similarly, child parliaments should be established across various regions to encourage children’s active participation in governmental decisions and initiatives.

Freddy Lawrence, project coordinator at Don Bosco Anbu Illam, delivered a vote of thanks.