diakonia & solidarity team
dignity of children programme

FULLNESS OF LIFE AND DIGNITY OF CHILDREN IN THE MIDST OF GLOBALISATION WITH A FOCUS ON STREET CHILDREN

WCC/CCA INTER-REGIONAL CONSULTATION
Mumbai, India, 21 - 25 January 2004

ACTION PLAN

During a plenary session, the participants discussed the suggestions from the three groups and formulated with the following action plan for an ecumenical agenda to promote the dignity and rights of children.

Please note that this action plan as presented below is a recommendation and that further follow-up and consideration will be needed for it to be effectively incorporated into the actual programmatic plans of the ecumenical bodies concerned. As a result the action plan is presented in a general, global way and is expected to be adapted to regional and organisational specifics in the future. The ‘specific action points’ are more detailed suggestions for the implementation of each proposed section of the action plan and tend to refer to the WCC ‘Dignity of Children’ Programme, implemented through the WCC Regional Desks which are part of the WCC Diakonia and Solidarity Team.

A. Advocacy on Children’s Rights and Dignity Issues

MAIN AIM –to deepen ecumenical understanding and awareness of children’s rights issues

1. Observance of a ‘Day’ or ‘Week’ by ecumenical bodies in order to highlight and raise awareness on a specific issue related to children’s rights and dignity each year.
2. Resource mobilisation through
a. research/gathering existing materials on child rights and CRC
b. compilation and distribution of materials to ecumenical network
c. preparation of new materials/syllabi on child rights e.g. Bible studies
3. Child rights training with a theological emphasis through
a. national level training for pastors/youth workers/Sunday School teachers on child rights issues and CRC
b. distribution of materials on child rights e.g. for Bible studies
4. Child rights policies for churches

SPECIFIC ACTION POINTS for 2004 :
1. After research and consultation with other ecumenical bodies, WCC to decide on a ‘day’/’week’ for the ecumenical network to support (such as November 20th – UN Children’s Day). The WCC will then produce materials to facilitate world wide ecumenical involvement advocacy ‘day’/’week’.
2. WCC and regional and national ecumenical bodies to encourage and support member NCCs and churches to develop child rights policies.
3. Through networks (see action point B), WCC to research existing materials for use by churches on child rights, programme best practices and the CRC with the view to compiling it and distributing it to ecumenical partners with a view to national networks to organising child rights training events and to promote the use of child rights materials.

B. Networking

MAIN AIM –to strengthen and empower ecumenical involvement in affirming children’s dignity and rights

1. Between churches, NGOs and other ecumenical bodies through
a. national, regional, sub-regional and inter-regional consultations.
b. information and resource sharing, e.g. of examples of best practices
2. With inter-faith organisations through
a. increased involvement with the Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC)
b. finding common ground to increase number of joint programmes and advocacy/lobbying
c. facilitating together a seminar at WSF 2005 on children’s rights from an inter-faith perspective to build on seminar held in WSF 2004
3. With the UN and other INGOs through
a. strengthening the link between ecumenical bodies and the UN CRC process through increased participation in the NGO Group on the CRC
b. identifying INGOs who work on similar issues of interest in view of joining them in lobbying governments on implementing the CRC

SPECIFIC ACTION POINTS for 2004:
1. WCC to support current ‘Dignity of Children’ networks by:
a. organising current national and regional ‘Dignity of Children’ network consultations
b. an inter-regional consultation
c. continuing and expanding e-mail information distribution lists and to publish Asian mapping project with a view to doing a similar project in other regions
2. WCC and regional ecumenical bodies to look in to setting up new ecumenical regional networks, such as in Eastern Europe and Africa.
3. WCC to be part of facilitating an inter-faith seminar at WSF 2005
4. WCC to become more involved in the NGO Group on the CRC to deepen ecumenical participation in the CRC process both internationally and nationally

C. Self-Advocacy for Children

MAIN AIM –to empower children to advocate for their rights and to empower the ecumenical movement to support children in this role

1. Resource mobilisation through
a. research/compilation/distribution of exiting Sunday School material and materials on how to involve children ethically in advocacy
b. preparation of new materials for Sunday Schools, school classes and for best practices in involving children in advocacy etc.
2. Consultations for children such as
a. national, regional, sub-regional and inter-regional consultations
b. enlisting the expertise of relevant NCCs/INGOs etc, in facilitating these consultations, for example encouraging children to be involved in work with GNRC

SPECIFIC ACTION POINTS for 2004 :
1. WCC/CCA to encourage and support member NCCs and churches to compile, disseminate and prepare Sunday School materials on children’s rights
2. NCCs, national networks, churches and local NGOs to organise child rights consultations specifically for children and to encourage meaningful participation of children in other consultations on children’s issues.

D. Follow-up of Action Plan

MAIN AIM – to provide a mechanism to ensure monitoring and follow-up of this Consultation and Action Plan

SPECIFIC ACTION POINTS for 2004 :
1. WCC to write report of Consultation to be distributed to participants and the wider ecumenical network
2. WCC to implement, and monitor such implementation, of the recommendations in this Action Plan.
3. Conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of the implementation of the Action Plan at the Inter-Regional Consultation in 2005.

 

Back to Dignity of Children programme main page