Independent Consultant
CurrentAs a representative of an international organization working on child protection in a district of West Bengal, I encountered a significant issue. Each year, a letter is issued regarding the "Gram Panchayat Development Plan" (GPDP), but there is no provision for plans or budgets related to children. Upon investigating, I found that Gram Panchayats lacked a clear understanding of child protection. Gradually, I established connections with all Gram Panchayats, blocks, and district administrations.I focused on strengthening the following committees: 1) Village Level Child Protection Committees, 2) Gram Panchayat Level Child Protection Committees, 3) Block Level Child Protection Committees, and 4) District Level Child Protection Committees. These committees had not been functional for the past 15 years but eventually started working. I also connected with schools to engage girls from the Kanyashree Prakalpa to emphasize the importance of including children in the GPDP. Meetings were held with nodal teachers of the Kanyashree Prakalpa, which encouraged more schools to participate.Using children’s voices, I facilitated the presentation of their demands to officials across various departments. As a result, one block allocated ₹7,59,726 for child protection in the GPDP for the 2023–24 fiscal year.