Fellowships on child rights

Child Rights and You (CRY) invites applications for research fellowships exploring multiple dimensions of child rights within the broad framework of justice for children.

Whilst on the one hand, the Constitution of India redefines the state-citizen relationship in terms of rights and duties, on the other hand, there is a lot of ambiguity on how to interpret these rights and duties in terms of the best interest of the child principle as stated in our regular parlance as well as in the international documents such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

There is an immense scope for in-depth studies on children as a potential force that defines various developmental processes, as also the descriptive analysis of how their childhood is lived in the context of changes that have been the characteristics of the institutions of family, community, society, economy and the state. 

Up to 10 fellowships for grant sizes ranging from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. one lakh will be awarded. Potential fellows are welcome to expand and interpret the themes, based on their life experiences and vision.

Possible focus areas

• Child rights in the context of disappearance and reinvention of traditions, customs, norms and mores; and as also the impact of emergence of new kinds of rural technologies and occupations
• Creativity and imagination, in the experience and expression of childhoods
• Evidences of the assertion or rejection of the role of children in various decision making arenas in various spaces such as households, advertisements, political party campaigns to governing institutions
• Insights on children actively and passively amidst conflicts, violence and discrimination
  Reflect on constructions of childhood and the implications on children's rights
• Gather evidence on the relationships between ethnicity, inequality and conflict as witnessed and/or experienced by children
• Locating identity questions (language, discourse, representation) within the school-community relationship
  Is best interest principle, a value, a constitutional right, an interpretative advocacy instrument or a rule of law
  

Eligibility

Potential fellows will be Indians residing in India, above the age of 18 years. There is no upper age limit. Preference will be given to applicants who have studied in government schools, where no fees are charged.

It is expected that potential fellows ascribe to the CRY values:

• Respect for Human Dignity                            
• Secularism
• Non-Violence                                               
• Accountability
• TransparencyInnovation                                                     
• Working in Partnership

Proposals may be submitted in any Indian language. Time fame for completion of research project ranges from one month to one year.  Proposals whose duration exceeds a year will not be reviewed.

Selected fellows will be expected to participate in an initial workshop to share research plans and gain from the collective experience possibly in March / April 2009.

Requirements

Proposals must include the following.

• A three-page proposal, which shall include scope, relevance, research question, conceptual framework, proposed methodology, time frame and a detailed budget
• A two-page CV
• A sample of related published or even unpublished work or any documentation done on a related theme is essential for the proposal to be reviewed

The last date for receipt of application is October 28, 2008. E-mail your proposal to research@crymail.org 

Please send the proposal through email to research@crymail.org. All regional language  proposals may also be sent by post to CRY Documentation Centre, CRY-Child Rights and You, 189 A, Anand Estate, Sane Guruji Marg, Mumbai 400011.

Source: Child Rights and You