Gujarat
Shishu Sangh
SEWA has been active
in a campaign for child care and early childhood education for
over a decade now. In fact, when the National Commission for Self-Employed
Women and informal Sector Workers’ brought out its report,
'‘Shramshakti'’in 1988, child care as a right of working
women clearly emerged as a key recommendation. To press for this
demand, FORCES, a national – level forum or network for creches
and early childhood education was formed. SEWA was a founder –
member of this forum.
In 1998, SEWA was
one of the founders of FORCES’ Gujarat branch – the
Gujarat Shishu Sangh – and continues to serve as its Secretariat.
Shishu Sangh organised
two state-level meetings in 1999 which were attended by the Honourable
Minsters of Health and Education of Gujarat State, government
officials and 50 grassroot level organisations involved in child
care. Three major avenues for action emerged :
a] Developing a
state-level creche fund to strengthen and enhance child care in
Gujarat for 0 to 6 year olds.
b] Decentralisation
of all child care programmes in the state by delegation of full
responsibility, including decision-making and resources, to local
people’s organisations and NGOs.
c] Constituting
a state – level committee to monitor all child – related
programmes with Gujarat Shishu Sangh’s representation on
this committee.
