Highlight from October-December

HIGHLIGHT FOR THE QUARTER FROM OCTOBER TO DECEMBER 2010

In Delhi, Save the Children and its partners mobilized 400 community members from some of the poorest communities to come together and voice their heart wrenching experiences. They presented the lack of healthcare for children and mothers, before an esteemed panel, comprising of member of the Planning Commission Dr. Sayeda Hameed, Advisor to Planning Commission; Mr. NK Sethi, Dr. Ashok Arora, Supreme Court Advocates; Dr Vandana Prasad, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan; Dr. Rajiv Tandon, Newborn and Child health expert from Save the Children and Dr. Bharti Sharma, Ex Chairperson; Child Welfare Committee.

A platform such as this,  that enables community voices to be heard not only brings important issues to the table but also builds pressure on policy makers to bring about the positive change in society we wish to achieve.

Syeda Hameed of the Planning Commission opened the meeting by saying “By getting people here in such a large group I will have no choice but to say I am being pressured so much that I have to fulfill the expectations of my colleagues from around the country. This is all very good pressure that you are building.”

After this public hearing, Syeda Hameed has committed to include Maternal, New Born and Child Health as a priority in the 12th five year plan of India.