Children and Pesticides Awareness Camp, 03-06 August 2022.
Children are more susceptible to adverse health effects from exposure to pesticides. These adverse effects constrain the rights of children, unborn children, and future generations to a healthy environment and healthy development. The higher impacts of pesticide in children are due to the ratio between body weight and levels of exposure, as well as the faster development rate of childrenās tissues, organs, and biological systems, which make them unable to process and effectively excrete some toxic substances. Pesticide safety plays an important role in protecting childrenās health and well being. Regulating and reducing exposure to pesticide is also essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 3 (good health and well-being), SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth) and SDG 12 (responsible production and consumption). Peopleās awareness and better information is important to understand the impact of pesticides on children. Under this campaign four awareness camps were organized in Bihar and Jharkhand. Purpose of this exercise is to draw attention to the āsilent pandemicā of disability and disease associated with exposure to pesticides and encourage the common people particularly children and their parents to break the silence. It encourages the children and their parents to take effective actions urgently.
Awareness Camp 1:
Sarayu Seva Sadan Jamui, Bihar, 03 August 2022
This campaign was organized with local partner Smagra Seva. Around 80 students of class X-XII and local social workers and members of civil society participated in this campaign. Dinbandhu Vats from PAIRVI Briefed about the objective and scope of this awareness camp. District Magistrate of Jamui Avaneesh Kumar Singh was the Chief Guest of this campaign. He released four posters containing information regarding the impact of pesticides on children, sources and ways of exposure to pesticides, how to protect ourselves from pesticides and precautions while using the pesticides. Children studying class X-XII were from mahadalit (lower strata among the Scheduled Caste) community. They are from humble backgrounds and their parents are laborers and migrant workers. However they had prepared well for this programme and participated in a speech competition. Earlier, Students organized a rally holding posters and banners from Srayu Seva Sadan to Katchheri Chowk. They also performed dances.
District Magistrate Avaneesh Kumar Singh supported this campaign and asked civil society to come forward for organic farming. They assured support from district administration for this campaign. Dr. SN Jha, a local pediatrician, discussed the impact of pesticides on children’s health. Makeshwar Rawat from Samagra informed the children and their parents about natural ways to curb the pests on crops. A Nirnayak Madal (Jury Members) comprising five local experts Ashok Kumar, Saumya Kumari, Gudiya Devi , Varshna Singh and Makeshwar Rawat was constituted to announce the name of winners of Speech Completion. Rani Kumari Class XI, Sanjana Kumari, class X and Priyanka Kumari class X secured the first, second and third position respectively in the speech competition. First prize was of Rs 100 Rupees, second was of 500 Rupees and Third 300 rupees. Apart from it, five other students Vicky Kumar class XI, Rahul Kumar Class X, Santosh Kumar, class XI, Muskan Kumari, class X and Kekai Kumar class XII got consolation prizes of 200 hundred rupees each. Locals appreciated this campaign. They have realized the kind of threat pesticides is causing the people and environment.
Awareness Camp 2:
Utkramit Upper Primary School Ghatiyari, Deoghar, Jharkhand, 04 August 2022
This campaign was organized with local partner Lok Vikas Sansthan . Around 70 students of class VIII-X and some of their parents participated in this campaign. Apart from school management committee, Panchayati Raj Members also actively participated in this camp in this camp. Here again four posters containing information regarding the impact of pesticides on children, sources and ways of exposure to pesticides, how to protect ourselves from pesticides and precautions while using the pesticides were released among the students and their parents. Most of these students were are from tribal and minority community of this village. They are from humble backgrounds and their parents are laborers and street vendors. However they had prepared well for this programme and participated in a painting competition. Earlier, Students organized a rally holding posters and banners from school campus to Panchayat Bhawan.
Our local partner Subhash Chandra Dubey from Lok Vikas Sansthan briefed about the nature and objective of this campaign. Visheshwar Yadav, PRI member discussed about the natural practices of pest control in agriculture. A Nirnayak Madal (Jury Members) comprises five locals Vishwshwara Yadav, PRI Member, Meru Bibi, PRI Member, Sukdev Rai, Chairperson School Management Committee, Vageshwari Kumari, Teacher of the school and Ajay Kumar Rai, School Teacher was constituted to announce the name of winners of painting competition. Anita Soren, Class VIII, Shanti Marandi, class X, and Asha Kumari of class VIII secured the first, second and third position respectively in the competition. First prize was of Rs 100 Rupees, second was of 500 Rupees and Third 300 rupees. Apart from it five other students Sahiba Khatun class VIII, Tanupriya Kumari class X,Shalu Kumari class X, Pinki Kumari ClassX and Asarful Ansari class VIII got consolation prizes of 200 hundred rupees each. Interestingly all top three students are girls and out of them two belong to tribal community. Seven out eight selected students are also girl students. Students have shown enthusiasm towards this campaign. Locals appreciated this campaign. They have realized the kind of threat pesticides is causing the people and environment.
Awareness Camp 3:
Maudiha Middle School Rohtas, Bihar, 05 August 2022
This campaign was organized with local partner Bandi Adhikar Andolan. Around 80 students of class VII-VIII and some of their parents participated in this campaign. Lalan Upadhyaya, Chairperson School Management Committee was the Chief Guest of this campaign. Here again four posters containing information regarding the impact of pesticides on children, sources and ways of exposure to pesticides, how to protect ourselves from pesticides and precautions while using the pesticides were released among the students and their parents. Most of these students were girls from mahadalit (lower strata among the Scheduled Caste) community of this village. They are from humble backgrounds and their parents are laborers. However they had prepared well for this programme and participated in a painting competition. Earlier, Students organized a rally holding posters and banners from school campus to Panchayat Bhawan.
Dinbandhu Vats from PAIRVI briefed about the nature and objective of this campaign. A Nirnayak Madal (Jury Members) comprises five teachers of this school Kumar Vasudev Paswan, Narendra Kumar, Rinki Kumari, Durga Kumari and Vinay Kumar Rakesh was constituted to announce the name of winners of painting competition. Mansa Kumari, Anamika Kumari and Ekta Kumari of class VIII secured the first, second and third position respectively in the competition. First prize was of Rs 100 Rupees, second was of 500 Rupees and Third 300 rupees. Apart from it five other students Nancy Kumari class, VIII, Preetam Kumar class VII, Rupa Kumari class VIII, Shivam Kumar class VII and Chanda Kumari, class VIII got consolation prizes of 200 hundred rupees each. Interestingly all top three students are girls and six out eight selected students are also girl students. Students have shown enthusiasm towards this campaign. Here a couple of students have penned down the slogans. Locals appreciated this campaign. They have realized the kind of threat pesticides is causing the people and environment.
Awareness Camp 4:
Government High School Bandanvar, Lakhan Pahadi, Godda, Jharkhand, 06 August 2022
This campaign was organized with local partner Lok Vikas Sanstha. Around 70 students of class IX-X and couple of parents participated in this campaign. Here, PRI members, members of school management committee, panel lawyers of District Legal Services Authority, Godda and local journalists were also present in the camp.
Here too four posters containing information regarding the impact of pesticides on children, sources and ways of exposure to pesticides, how to protect ourselves from pesticides and precautions while using the pesticides are released and distributed to the participants. Students are mostly from scheduled caste and scheduled tribe communities. They are from humble backgrounds and their parents are laborers and migrant workers. However they had prepared well for this programme and participated in a speech competition. Earlier, Students organized a rally holding posters and banners from School campus to Panchayat Bhavan. Naveen Vajpayi, advocate DLSA, Godda discussed the impact of pesticides on children’s health. Our local partner Subhash Chandra Dubey from Lok Vokas Santhan briefed about the nature and objective of the campaign. He also informed the children and their parents about natural ways to curb the pests on crops. A Nirnayak Madal (Jury Members) comprising five school teachers Prithveesh Kumar Dubey, Jai Prakash Yadav, Basant Lal Tudu, Lalita Hansda and Chanda Kumari was constituted to announce the name of winners of the Completion. Kaushiki Kumari, Priya Kumari and Shrishti Kumari secured the first, second and third position respectively in the speech competition. All of them are girl students of class IX. First prize was of Rs 100 Rupees, second was of 500 Rupees and Third 300 rupees. Apart from it five other students Sushmita Soren, Ruchi Kumari, Sakshi Kumari, Tushar Ranjan and Sonakshi Kumari, all from Class X got consolation prizes of 200 hundred rupees each. Here again, seven out of eight selected students are girls. Locals appreciated this campaign. They have realized the kind of threat pesticides is causing the people and environment.
All these four camps went well in terms of raising awareness and sensitizing local people and authorities. This is the least discussed issue among the common people particularly in rural area where it adversely affects the farmers, as well as consumers. Posters and pamphlets were distributed to the students and locals intended to minimize the risks of pesticides. People have sensed the urgency of the issues and appreciated this campaign. It was widely covered by the local media as well.
Posters for Campaign: