(This is a copy of the press release that was issued to the new media in Christchurch, NZ, during the Subud World Congress.)
Students at Mithra Foundation's School
Marking the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Susila Dharma International Association (SDIA), an affiliate of the World Subud Association (WSA), currently holding a congress in Christchurch, gave a presentation on children’s rights within its network.
SDIA is a member-based network which works globally to promote development and human rights. The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) turned 20 last November, and SDIA celebrated this by recognizing the work that the network’s members are carrying out to promote the aims of this important convention and to present this to a wider public.
Four network projects were showcased: YUM (Yayasan Usaha Mulia) runs a prize-winning children’s village in Java, Indonesia, and is following UNICEF guidance to continuously adjust its strategies in accordance with the best interests of the children; Mithra Foundation in Bangalore, India, carries out Human Rights Education in schools across the province of Karnataka in order to help reduce discrimination and promote equality; ICDP, an internationally recognized programme has reached millions of children worldwide aiming to improve relationships between children and their care-givers, thus helping protect children’s rights at a family level; and Fundación Amanecer in Colombia which has been selected as a service-provider by the Colombian government for the implementation of a new policy on childcare and protection based on the CRC and formulated with the help of UNICEF.
SDIA and WSA will continue exploring human rights, development, sustainability and other issues in this congress which continues until 18th January. Subud is a multifaith spiritual association with members all over the world.