International Migration Day celebration at YUVA

Sarabjit Kaur on January 4th, 2016

Maharashtra is a state known for its high level of industrialization and urbanization. The Navi Mumbai industrial and service sectors of the state attract workers from all over India. The State is, therefore, a net receiver of migrating workers. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh are the states which send the maximum number of migrant into Maharashtra.

Navi Mumbai was conceived with an over-arching vision by CIDCO, a planned city with a place for everyone. A city to re-ignite not only the entrepreneurial energies of early Mumbai but also to bring in a holistic urban living with well laid residential avenues, public spaces, public service nodes, commercial complexes, cultural hubs and so on. In this planned city there is no space for migrant workers who contribute to the development of the city.

Living conditions at the construction site, quarry and brick kiln are dreadful. They are allowed to build a small, makeshift hut next to the kiln. Men, women, adolescent girls, boys, and small children work in harsh conditions with no safety equipment.

Migration is an underlying constraint that deepens more with education deprivation. Children between 3 to 14 years of age do not attend ICDS or primary school. On the whole, they have had the greatest education deprivation among other social groups. The absence of school or ICDS Balwadi in or close to hamlets and the paucity of teachers that speak their mother tongue are profound gaps in educational opportunity.

On the eve of “International Migrants Day”, YUVA organized an event for children of the community. 80 children of age group 6-14 years from urban migrant families wholeheartedly participated. Employees from different corporate organizations volunteered for the event and spent time with children.

With the background of considering recreational activities as one of the development needs for children – a 3-hour program at Tatangar slum settlement in Belapur, Navi-Mumbai was organized by YUVA. The program included activities like storytelling, art & craft, song, and dance.

Play should be at the heart of children’s everyday lives and experiences throughout their childhood and at the center of their well-being, safety, learning and social development. This event was undertaken to make a difference in the lives of children.

Our experience reveals that though there is a policy about right to education, the government is not giving enough attention to migrant population. Therefore, we would like to continue this process and convince and negotiate with the government and corporate people to take a major role to educate migrant children for the noble cause of “Child-Friendly City”.