Children share their views with the Human Rights Council and more!

Ishika, 16-year-old, participated in March 2021 in a roundtable discussion at the United Nations Human Rights Council’s for the annual day of discussion on the rights of the child.

“It’s a moment of great pride for our Child in Need Institute – CINI (India) organization, thanks to the efforts of our CINI Kolkata – India team, because Ishika’s voice has been heard to the U.N. Human Rights Council during their annual discussion on the rights of the child. » tells us Lopamudra Mullick of the CINI.

CINI is a member of Dynamo International – Street Workers Network and the Consortium for Street Children which invited CINI to participate in the annual day.

Each year, the Council devotes a day of discussion on the rights of the child to examine topics specific to minors. This year’s annual discussion focuses on the theme of children’s rights and sustainable development goals. Two panel discussions took place and Fred, 16, supported by Save Street Children (Uganda), and Ishika, 16, supported by CINI India, spoke at both panels.

Lopamudra adds “Ishika, 16, made a statement during the afternoon discussion on the gaps and barriers affecting children in meeting commitments to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Ishika had prepared a really powerful statement and we are so glad to share it.”

Video of Ishika’s testimony (at 55min30sec) :
🡪 Panel Discussion on Rights of the child and SDGs – 15th Meeting, 46th Regular Session Human Rights Council
Video of Fred’s testimony (at 12min15sec) :
🡪 Panel Discussion on Rights of the child and SDGs – 14th Meeting, 46th Regular Session Human Rights Council

Ishika’s testimony :

“Hello, I am Ishika Shaw. Currently I am collecting evidence on the problems faced by my street-connected peers and I am helping them to take informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health, thus advancing SDG 3 – Good health and well-being.

I am glad that my voice can reach out to so many of you, and I am speaking on behalf of the millions of street-connected children whose voices are unheard. Street-connected children are never considered to be a part of the same community people as others who have a roof over their heads.

We are often invisible to those around us, because we move from one place to another. This movement on which our life depends upon actually creates a barrier to our entitlements, because entitlements are only available to those who stay in a fixed place. Goals such as No Poverty, Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-being and Reduced Inequalities remain unfulfilled because we cannot get the schemes and services that are actually said to be made for us.

We need all of you to think, how we can access entitlements even when we move from one place to another. I am urging the world leaders to come up with a solution so that we can access food, healthcare and shelter from anywhere in my country. Only then can we claim to have reduced inequalities in our world.”