1 India « Dhaba Kids » October September 2010 Fight against child exploitation through labour, Localities of South Delhi Capital: New Delhi Area: 3,287,590 sq. km Population: 1, millions inhabitants Density: 350 people per sq. km Official languages: Hindi and English Government: Federal Republic GNI per capita: $ 1,070 (France, 2008 : $ 42,250) Population living with less than $ 1.25 a day: 42% ( ) Source: Unicef, March 2010 ( Source: ) Country profile: India at a glance Plan has been working in India since Final activity report Children from Non-Formal Education centres and their instructors, during an educational visit at Varanasi. Program Department - Plan France ( - January 2011

2 Location: South areas of Delhi, in the localities having the strongest concentration of working children: Sangam Vihar, Madanpur Khadar and Khanpur. Duration: 3 years. The project began in October 2007 and finished in September Improve the living conditions of working children in Delhi (aged 6 to 14) through education, health services, recreational activities and awareness of their rights. In 2009, UNICEF estimated that 150 million children aged 5 to 14 are engaged in child labour. According to a 2001 census, there are 12 millions working children in India, 100,000 of whom are living in Delhi. They are driven to labour and exploitation by poverty, to ensure their own subsistence and even of their familys sometimes. Generally they work 14 to 16 hours per day, in hotel-restaurants, tea stalls, garages, small- scale factories, small shops, as rag pickers or household workers. They are deprived of their most fundamental rights such as the right to education, care or protection. Extremely concerned by the living and working conditions of these children, Plan is supporting the Child Rights Information Centre staff, which actively fights against child labour in many slums of Delhi. Project background The project Thanks to a study conducted in 2007, 1,061 working children and 265 potential workers were identified in the project area. Among them, 500 children, their families and their communities benefited from the project. Plan is supporting a program to improve the living conditions of working children in Delhi, which is implemented by young adults from the Child Rights Information Centre (CRIC). It aims at giving these children access to education, health services, but also to recreational activities, and to promote their rights through community awareness-raising campaigns. At the core of the project, the Non-Formal Education (NFE) centres are offering cultural and sports activities, health check-ups, counselling and kits and encouraging reintegration and maintaining of the children in government schools. Child labour in India Location and duration Beneficiaries Overall objective Specific objectives Promote schooling for every child in elementary school, Community awareness-raising on stakes related to child labour, Develop Plans partners skills on child labour, in order to implement advocacy campaigns with the authorities and future projects. Program Department - Plan France ( - January 2011

3 Activity #3: Awareness to child rights and stakes related to child labour 90 children divided in 7 groups were sensitized to their rights. Little by little, they are becoming future agents of change and advocacy for their communities. The awareness activities reached various audiences through several means. Posters and stickers were distributed on sensitization stands. 5 community fairs were held, and children participated in organized rallies. Wall paintings and a TV spot broadcasted on the local cable station were used. Finally, 11 street plays were held reaching 1150 people. Activities achieved Activity #1: Better access to education 7 Non-Formal Education (NFE) centres were opened. 250 children were attending these centres to learn and study, but also to play and have fun. In addition to the remedial courses provided to the children, school (re)enrollment was encouraged through meetings with teachers and directors of public schools, as well as through support to the families. Throughout the whole project, 233 children were enrolled in public education, among whom 159 are still attending public school. In parallel, all children enrolled in public schools continue to attend the NFE centres. Activity #2: Better access to health All children from NFE centres benefited from monthly health check-ups. 359 children got at least one complete health check-up (physical and psychological), and 1,200 people from the communities went through a basic health check-up. 1,000 first aid kits were provided, and around 400 people were sensitized to hazards related to the rag picking profession. A boy from the Sangam Vihar NFE centre showing his exercise book Activity #5: Capacity-building for Plan and its partners Networking was supported by 2 seminars to share experiences: the first one took place in June 2009 and brought together 35 non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The second one, in January 2010, was attended by 110 participants, representatives of working children, government, NGOs, schools, etc. The project stakeholders had the opportunity to strengthen their capacities on the subject of child labour and other topics, such as project management or networking. With the view to expand it to other programs, the project experience had been capitalized. Indeed, this project was a laboratory to develop a comprehensive strategy against child labour. Finally, an external evaluation had been conducted to assess the project, identify lessons learned and decide on next steps. Activity #4: Recreational, cultural and sporting activities All children from the NFE centres participated at least once in a cultural visit. Various outings were organised each semester. For example, the children and their instructors visited the Science Centre, the zoological Park, the National Childrens Museum, and historical monuments such as the India Gate. Some of the visits, organized over a few days out of Delhi, were an opportunity for the children to meet other organisations involved in endeavours against exploitation. The children also took part in various artistic and cultural activities, like drawing and poem competitions, comics workshops, theatre performances, and also in the preparations of the Independence Day celebrations or of the Festival of Lights. These events provided them with the possibility to express and entertain themselves. Finally, sports days, organized each semester, took an important part in the activities implemented. Here, children from the NFE centres and from the communities participated in numerous games and played cricket, their favourite sport. Throughout the project, 1089 participations were registered for these activities. Group of young people participating to the seminar, in June 2009 Program Department - Plan France ( - January 2011

4 The children were widely involved in the project. In addition to their participation in educational, health and recreational activities implemented by the NFE centres, they were at the heart of advocacy actions and institutional learning. During these activities, in the same capacity as the representatives of civil society organizations and schools, children were consulted and their views taken into account. In the future, their involvement in awareness activities should only grow: trained to know and defend their rights, the action of children will be structured little by little around childrens clubs, ambassadors of their rights. Better structured, their action will gain more impact in their communities. These young citizens will be able to initiate a global behaviour change in the long run. The overall 3-year budget amounts to US$ 168,180 (about 121,090). The project has been funded by the company Wheelabrator Allevard. It has also been supported by individual donors and the Air France Foundation. Expenditures Monitoring and assessment Results According to the final evaluation held in June % of the children stopped working. The baseline study conducted in 2007 showed that 78% of the children were working at this time. Today, all children are receiving formal and/or informal education. In 2007, only 14% were having access to education. 54% are attending public school. 88% say they like going to the NFE centre. 46% of the children saw an improvement in their health. 76% were trained in first aid. Children highlighted that these trainings motivated them to stop working. The program has succeeded in changing the perception of the target population about child labour. 98% of the children and 74% of the parents say that children should not work « because studying is important ». No parents want their children to stop studying. Focus on childrens participation in the project The final evaluation, conducted among 181 children and 97 parents by an independent consulting agency, was able to measure the impact of the program in the target areas, to assess the implemented activities and to identify successes and challenges. It will allow to better support CASP-Plan in implementing further activities. Regarding the very positive evaluation results, a second phase of the project will soon be implemented. The actions already undertaken will continue and be improved. Community awareness, communications with parents and advocacy among authorities will be key points to strengthen. An awareness session with the children Group of girls attending public school Partners The NGO CASP, the Child Rights Information Centre (CRIC), the Trust S.M. Charitable and Max Healthcare Hospitals were the main partners of Plan for the implementation of the project. Program Department - Plan France ( - January 2011