16-yr-old girl is Ireland's youth politician

MYSORE: This 16-year-old NRI girl can be inspiration for youth politicians. Sujitha Ramesh is among the 200 youths representing their countries at the Ireland's National Youth Parliament (Dail no nog). It is a unique opportunity to the students between 13 and 18 years to voice concern about children in the parliament.
What led Sujitha to NYP was a speech on effects of recession on children at the council level.
Sujitha's parents Ramesh and Satyabhama, from Kollegal, have been staying there for the past two decades. Sujitha, who is pursing her secondary education at St Louis in Ireland, says she shifted her interest from science stream and is now more inclined to politics. Her aim changed after she was elected to the youth parliament, for a two-year term, in September 2008.
Briefing about the concept, Sujitha said Dail no nog gives opportunity to children to represent their countries at the national-level. The national Children's Strategy (2000) of Ireland says that children will have a voice in matters which affect them and their views will be given due weight in accordance with their age and maturity. It aims to improve lives of all children in Ireland.
Sujitha says the office of the minister for children and youth affairs is responsible for implementation of the National Children's Strategy.
Over five youths will be selected from 26 counties based on their presentations on the issues related to children. First, about 30 students from different institutions in the county will be selected to the council, of which 5-8 will be selected to NYP and the others will assist the youth parliamentarians.
Sujitha feels similar concept should be introduced in India too to facilitate children's particiaption in politics.
Objectives of NYP
1. To provide a platform to children where they can raise and debate issues that concern them
2. To act as a way for children concerns to be fed into the development of public policy-making
3. To provide model for children's participation, which can be developed at local level
4. To support civic, social and personal development in children
5. To provide opportunity for children to hear and learn about the experiences of other children growing up in Ireland