The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) recently concluded its Child Rights awareness campaign, engaging thousands of Tibetan students across India and Nepal. These workshops were conducted in various Tibetan schools, including Namgyal Middle Boarding High School, Songtsen Bhrikuti Boarding High School, and Namgyal Secondary School under the Snow Lion Foundation, SOS Hermann Gmeiner School in Pokhara, Nepal TCV School in Ladakh, and T.H.F Schools in Mussoorie and Rajpur, India.
The sessions began with a brief overview of Human Rights and key International Conventions, establishing a foundation for understanding children’s rights. TCHRD carefully designed the sessions to help students understand their basic rights and responsibilities as children. The workshops aimed to enable students not only recognize their own rights but also to respect the rights of others as part of their responsibilities.
Various forms of child abuse, the importance of non-discrimination, and child participation were key topics covered during the two-day workshops. Participants were also introduced to the child protection measures, legal frameworks under the Indian Law, and reporting mechanisms, equipping them with the tools and knowledge to safeguard their rights and advocate for others.
TCHRD’s Executive Director, Ms.Tenzin Dawa; Tibetan researcher, Mr Nyiwoe; and Legal Officer, Ms. Phurbu Dolma, facilitated these workshops. Additionally, for the schools in Nepal, TCHRD invited resource speaker Ms Sumnima Tuladhar, the Executive Director of CWIN Nepal. CWIN-Nepal is an advocacy organisation for children’s rights with a focus on children living and working under the most difficult circumstances. Miss Sumnima conducted a session for one and a half hours. Ms Tuladhar discussed the child rights helpline in Nepal, the importance of child participation in decision-making, and Nepal’s policies on child rights. The session was highly interactive, with students actively engaging in questions and answers.
For the sessions in India, TCHRD invited Mr Asif Hussain and Mr Sameer Hussain from TARA, a Delhi-based Child Rights NGO as resource persons for the sessions in India. TARA focuses on children’s education and empowerment. The organisation aims to provide quality education, care, and sustainable development for underprivileged children, aiming to help them become independent and responsible adults.
Through these awareness sessions, TCHRD seeks to encourage Tibetan youth to take an active role in advocating for their rights, participating in their decision-making process, and fostering a culture of respect and accountability. TCHRD aims to ensure that the next generation of Tibetan youth is well-informed and equipped to contribute to a fairer and more equitable Tibetan society.
