Organised by
Children Movement for Climate Justice - CMCJ
(May 21 -27, 2012)
Background and rational for such a yatra
Children Movement for Climate Justice is a children led network for ensuring ecological rights of children as part of overall child rights as specified in UNCRC. This initiative is an offshoot of KNH partners working group in India. Based on the outcomes of KNH partners working group, Resource Centre for participatory Development Studies – RCPDS, one of KNH partner, started this initiative in a small way with 30 members in one of the panchayat in 2007. Gradually this initiative and model was taken up by other NGOs working in Virudunagar district and other partners of KNH in India. During the past years CMCJ children were involved in various activities to address climate change from rights perspective and carried out various mitigation and advocacy activities. Efforts of children have been greatly appreciated by many development oriented organization both National and International.
Currently CMCJ is spread across four states of India (Tamilnadu, Andrapradesh, Karnataka and Orissa) with more than 15000 plus children as members. Members of CMCJ have been involved in conducting participatory studies across various food security issues, revival of traditional herbal and organic farming knowledge and study of endangered species due to climate change. CMCJ in Virudunagar district of Tamilnadu jointly with District administration conducted awareness campaign on environment protection, anti polythene campaign and promotion of green cover by planting 1,00,000 seedlings in eight blocks of the district. These children have done an advocacy program during May 2009 wherein more than 5,000 children demonstrated in eight different blocks which created an impact on children gaining participation and representation at the child rights protection committee at the district level.
| Download for CMCJ Rally English report |
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Mitigation Initiative
Polythene Eradication - children initiative
Activity area: Mitigation and adaptation
Website: www.rcpds.org
Location: Tiruchuli Block, Virudunagar District, India
Established: April 2010
LIST OF ORGS: Children Movement for Climate Justice- CMCJ, Resource Center for Participatory Development Studies -RCPDS
The activity, which has already spread to seven states in India, started with 30 children in Tiruchuli, Virudunagar to mitigate climate change and mainstream awareness among children who are likely to be worst affected by climate change for we, children, recognize impact of climate crisis is beyond the boundaries of geographical limitation and its impacts result in violation of our basic rights as provided by UNCRC. Our future is very grim and uncertain. With this in the perspective we as children realize that there is a great deal that we could contribute to change the scenario by not only blaming the governments but we ourselves can make small beginning at our end by collecting waste plastics which cause a great menace to ground water and the production process contribute to increase in greenhouse gases. The activity has a dual goal of increasing climate resilience among children and youth while also contributing to mitigation efforts. The activity requires each member of the movement to contribute a minimum of five kilos of plastic waste as their subscription to the movement. The movement secretariat sells the plastic waste at a market price and uses the money on advocacy, awareness-building campaigns and mitigation activities such as tree planting. There are currently around 15,000 members across India.
To date, the activity has managed to collect 5,000 kilos of plastic in Tiruchuli Block alone (the pioneering locality), raised around 25000 rupees and carried out a district-level signature campaign demanding mitigation to be mainstreamed by local government authorities. As a result, the district administration and Panchayat administration passed a decision that local shopkeepers and vendors will be levied fines up to Rs. 100/ for delivering articles to the buyers in plastic carry bags. Simultaneously, those customers who buy articles from shops such as vegetables or something similar will also be levied up to Rs.200/- imposed on customers. This serious action initiated by the local government has worked on attitudinal change among the wide public towards greater appreciation of climate change mitigation and adaptation needs. |
