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Promoting child rights through artwork project-A rights based programming for children

posted on Saturday, January 02, 2010 04:24 PM

As part of our Children's rights through artwork project being supported by ART VENTURE,Singapore, Goodwill social work centre ,a registered Indian NGO based at Madurai,India has formed 'Children's rights through artwork groups' of girls and boys who are in the 7-17 years of age with a view to building a holistic understanding the United Nations Convention on the rights of the child and various children's rights and the issues which affect children,combing arts with a study of the UN convention on the rights of children as a way to promote children’s understanding of their legal status in society and developing art skills, improve self confidence and enhance creative and enjoyment in the arts and to know of their rights to childhood.Through the formation of artwork groups a social awareness is created among the children and local communities as well concerning various rights based issues namely poverty,education,food and nutrition, health and shelter ,peace,discrimination,disability,child labour,armed conflicts, sexual exploitation, environment,violence against children,media,children in conflict with law.

Children are trained in various forms of arts namely water colouring,painting,pencil sketching, oil on canvas Painting,miniature painting, cartooning and computer graphics,pottery painting,portrait and figure drawing ,floor painting – rangoli and kollam,crayons and oil pastel work,modern painting,clay modeling,glass painting,Tanjore painting,pencil drawing, pot painting and embossed painting, folk arts and dances,which are used to portray and convey messages relating to children's rights to survival,protection,development and participation that are enshrined in the UN Convention of the rights of the child. Children learn of the various issues and concerns which affect them through their active participation in the artwork.The most celebrated forms of folk arts used in the training include Kuravan- kurathi Aattam(Gypsy dance), Bharathanatyam(classical dance), Karagaattam(with a brass vessel on head), Peacock dance,Dummy Horse Dance dance,Dummy Bull dance, kavadiattam,kollattam(using two batons), Puppetry, Oyilaattam (Ribbon dance), folk songs etc. In point of fact, the art painting and folk art media serve as power tools to promote and propagate the rights of children among the children and local communities. Children in these artwork groups not only get themselves empowered but also sensitise other children to their rights and needs and also adults as to their responsibility in protecting and promoting the ethos of 'Children First' through their artwork.

The artwork of our children's groups may viewed at our web albums:
http://picasaweb.google.com/chrisdangswc/ChildrenSRightsThroughArtworkGroupGSWCMaduraiIndia?feat=directlink

http://s633.photobucket.com/albums/uu51/CHRISDANIEL_photos/

http://picasaweb.google.com/chrisdangswc/GOODWILLSChildrenWinAtThe2ndWorldWaterDayInternationalPosterContest2009NVOCUSA#

The Children's rights through artwork is a unique project which is aimed empowering children in the age group of 7-17 with information on their rights,developing skills in them in arts and learning to combine arts with the study on their rights and inspiring them to discover their unique talents through a variety of hands-on workshops in arts and crafts and folk arts. These children put their creative energy into their artistic expression. They show a high level of creativity in their artwork and a inner-connective knowledge and awareness of child rights issues and concern which affect them and children worldwide. Goodwill social Work Centre believes that the art painting,murals,art models they make and their learning of children rights through folk arts will make an impact on the viewers and inspire them become more proactive in the protection and promotion of children's rights,which is an adult obligation .

We strongly realise the need for replicating this rights based programming to cover more children and local communities in India in promoting the rights of children through artwork.We invite partnership initiative from potential donors and funding organisations who might be interested in supporting this innovative project for children .

Prof.Dr.J.Christopher Daniel,M.A.,Ph.D
Executive Director
Goodwill Social Work Centre
Madurai,India
www.goodwillsocialworkcentre.org
Email:chriskan@satyam.net.in

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