Child Friendly Smart City Knowledge Center (CFSCKC) is a joint initiative by Surat Municipal Corporation and UNICEF, implemented by UHCRCE. CFSCKC, through its various activities, works for the rights of children, survival, development, protection and participation.

On occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, a national celebration & highlighting World Children’s Day (20th November), CFSCKC had planned 2-days “Child Rights Mela” to promote children’s participation in their city vision. It was operationalized by UHCRCE and its lead partner ‘Jeevanbharti School’ and alo0ng with 30 consortium partners of UHCRCE. The activities were led by two hundred student volunteers. This activity was In accordance with Objective 2 Output 7 of phase III proposal of CFSCKC. The “Mela” was organized at Jeevanbharti School campus, Nanpura (Surat) for two days- 21st and 22nd November in which around six thousand students visited and learned child rights joyfully.

The event was inaugurated by Dr Laxmi Bhavani, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Gujarat. After inauguration ceremony with symbolic tree plantation and Morning Prayer, Dr Laxmi, in her speech appreciated volunteers and motivated children-to “grab the golden opportunity” to become aware about their rights. She highlighted not just to understand but to believe in child rights & practice them. She also appreciated the presence of elders to share the responsibility. All the stalls by network partners, children and NGOs were visited and experienced by all the dignitaries. On the second day, Hon. Municipal Commissioner Shri Bacchanidhi Pani IAS visited mela. “Learning must be like this, beyond classrooms, beyond the regular science projects and must be behaviour change oriented. Similar learning events must be organized in Surat in all zones and periodically.” -he quoted while exploring every stall and interacting with children. The Child Rights Mela brought different network partners in city working on child rights on single activity platform providing them opportunity to demonstrate their thematic and skills specializations The stalls were set up thematically where children learned about rights to health and nutrition, right to development, right to safety and protection and right to participate through interactive and specialized methods. The presenter students had a dress code of Gandhi topi saying “Maro swapn, mara haq” (My dreams, my rights”) and also a badge of “I am Child rights champion”. 6000 Children and citizens, from 40 schools and organizations, from all sections of society visited the Mela. Different games and activities included – Scientific demonstration of Mosquito borne diseases, Health Snake and ladder, health charter of demands, Menstrual hygiene cloth pad making, healthy plate mapping, know your Body Mass Index, know your mood, charkha experience, know your constitution, education skit, climate change fancy dress, my bodyguard selfie point, listing and ranking safe spaces, road safety sign game, learning by doing ‘best out of waste’, cyber safety game zone and climate audit scientific experiments. The enthusiastic participation of children in Mela was well documented and covered by photography, video film, print media and social media.

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