Children's empowerment through bal sabhas still a distant dream

PANAJI: Bal sabhas have started catching the attention of villagers in some areas, but they are yet to significantly pave the way for children's empowerment due to lack of awareness and committment of social activists in rural areas.
The Goa Children's Act envisages formation of village child committees in every panchayat to facilitate participation of children in panchayat affairs.
Though many of the 189 panchayats have formed the committees, hardly half a dozen are active and oversee the conduct of bal sabhas for children to voice their grievances.
A few social activists who had been handicapped by a lack of mechanism to hold the bal sabhas now point out that the government has put a frame work in place.
"Unless the villagers in every panchayat take the issue seriously, the children's issue will continue to be neglected,” a social activist said.
Two bal sabhas were held during the last few days, but child rights activists are disappointed by the lack of commitment in most villages.