Khandapada, Five MLAs from Odisha Legislative Assembly visited child friendly constituency, khandapada Shri. Aswini Patra, MLA, Jaleswar Constituency, Shri Rajib Patra, MLA, Baliguda Constituency, Shri Duguni Kanhar, MLA, Phulbani Constituency, Shri Prafulla Pangi, MKAm Pottangi Constituency, to understand the process, activities, methods, results and challenges to protect the rights of the children. They find it very useful and interesting idea to replicate in their constituencies for the development of the children. They praised the level of children’s participation, awareness among their parents, their understanding on the rights and programmes and also the support of elected representatives and service providers.
They also admire for the leadership of Sri. Anubhav Pattnaik, MLA, Khandapada to make this happen in his constituency. The day long visit started with an understanding the process, interaction with the children from 40 Gram Panchayats and Gram Panchayat Resource Persons (the drivers of the initiative), project partners like Unicef, Youth for Social Development, KKF and AASHA and finally visited Dhanchangda GP for a field level meeting with children, parents, members of citizen committees, PRI members and had a dialogue with these stakeholders regarding the CFC and its benefits.
This visit is a part of legislative engagement for the child rights in Odisha and the purpose is to replicate the child friendly constituency concept in other areas, said Ratneswar Sahu of YSD.
More than 120 children from 40 GPs, 46 GPRPs and all partners, project personnel’s including Mrs. Umi Bae of UNICEF Odisha chief, child protection specialist of Unicef Sri. Laxmi Narayan Nanda, Special Secretary Sri Sujit Kumar of Planning and Convergence Department and YSD Secretary Mr. Bibhu Prasad Sahu was present an narrated the the year long journey of child friendly constituency to the visitors.