Right To Act! Exploring Participatory Theatre to Advocate for Rights & Entitlements of Children & Young People

January 23 to 26, 2012 National Workshop Bangalore

Organised & Facilitated by media matters 400 Sai Section, Ambernath 421501, Maharashtra email [email protected]; website: www.mmindia.org

in partnership with UNICEF New Delhi

Right To Act! Exploring Participatory Theatre to Advocate for Rights & Entitlements of Children & Young People National Workshop; January 23 to 26, 2012; Bangalore

“Right to Act!” aims at creating opportunities for all children to proactively participate in the development process by advocating for their rights and entitlements. “Right to Act!” means that children are on centre-stage – they have a space to come together, put together their play, and a platform to perform. It means that the issues dealt with in the plays and performances are those that affect and/or concern children. It also means that children play a crucial and critical role in the process1 – as subjects. And not just as “actors” who need to be directed. Or as passive members of the audience. It does not however mean that adults will have no role to play. In fact, trained and sensitised adult duty bearers (community volunteers, parents, NGO staff, government functionaries, PRI members) will have to play a crucial role in facilitating forming groups, identification and analysis of issues, improvisations, performances and post performance discussions to engage the audience in critical issues raised by children. Theatre, thus, does not remain just performances but explored as a tool, method and a process to advocate for rights & entitlements of children & young people. While performance is not the sole objective of the initiative, participation is. Over a period of time, children involved in participatory theatre groups would themselves identify issues, themselves script and/or sculpt a play, themselves decide on when and where to perform, themselves draw-out adults from the community (including their own family members and duty-bearers) to join the process and the performance. Such a stage is visualised as the top-most rung in the ladder of child participation. Participatory Theatre has the power and potential to engage, enable and empower children. First and foremost, theatre games, exercises and improvisations challenges the “body” to shed inhibitions and express the deepest emotions and feelings. It opens up the “mind” to be sensitive and emphathetic. It stimulates the “brain” to critically assess and analyse one's own immediate situation. Finally, while the play-making itself becomes a “rehearsal” of the desired and planned action, during performances children do not remain mere spectators but become the real “actors” of change. In the context of child rights and UNCRC, “Right to Act!” would ensure the child's right to opinion (article 12), freedom of expression (article 13), freedom of thought (article 14), freedom of association (article 15), leisure, play and participation in cultural and artistic activities (article 31). “Right to Act!” then is “children's theatre” in the real sense of the term. Creating spaces and opportunities for children - in theatre performances and beyond – is a cultural intervention. After all, it is every child's Right to Act!

1

Process of forming the group, identifying the issue, play-making, performing, engaging and facilitating a dialogue with audience, designing events and campaigns, reviewing the group process and initiative, planning forward

Right To Act! Exploring Participatory Theatre to Advocate for Rights & Entitlements of Children & Young People National Workshop; January 23 to 26, 2012; Bangalore

Dates

January 23 to 26, 2012 The workshop will begin at 0900 hours on Jan 23, 2012 and close at 1800 hours on Jan 26, 2012.

Objectives

By the end of the workshop, the participants will have gained a conceptual understanding of Participatory Theatre, explored, experimented and practiced the tools and methods to facilitate similar processes with children and young people in their communities.

Methodology

The effort will be towards creating a participant-centred environment for experiential learning. The facilitation will explore a wide range of participatory tools and methods to encourage learning from each other.

Key Facilitators

Anju Uppal and Prabir Bose from Media Matters

Language

Hindi and English will be the working language of the workshop.

Venue

Fireflies Ashram, Bangalore

Participation

The workshop is open to participants from active theatre groups, development organisations, academic and other institutions from across the country. Preference will be given to theatre practitioners and persons with coordination-level responsibilities in their organisations, working with children and interested in exploring participatory theatre to advocate for children's right and entitlements.

Travel

The participants will be entitled to reimbursement of their travel expenses (by train II tier AC and/or bus) from their place of residence/work to Bangalore City and back – at actuals and on submission of original bills/tickets. Please note that no DSA or

expenses towards food during travel will be reimbursed. Since the venue is at a distance from the City, Media Matters will organise transport for all the participants from Bangalore City to Fireflies Ashram and back. As such, all the participants are expected to reach Bangalore City by 3pm on Jan 22, 2012. The bus will leave for the workshop venue at 4pm sharp. Please note that participants who are unable to avail the bus facility will have to bear expenses for their travel to the venue.

Lodging & Boarding

The facilities at the venue will be available from Jan 22 (evening) to Jan 27 (morning). Accommodation at the venue will be on sharing basis. The participants will have a choice of simple, local veg and non-veg food available at the campus.

How To Apply

Please send in your completed registration form/s by Dec 31, 2011. Selected applicants will receive a communication by Jan 5, 2012.

Right To Act! Exploring Participatory Theatre to Advocate for Rights & Entitlements of Children & Young People National Workshop; January 23 to 26, 2012; Bangalore

Registration Form Please email the completed form together with attachments to [email protected] latest by December 31, 2011. Please make copies for more than one participant.

Name of the Participant

_____________________________________________

Age

__________ years

Sex

Male

Female

Designation

_____________________________________________

Organisation

_____________________________________________

Address

_____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ City ________________________ Pin _____________

Tel (Office) ____________________

Tel (Personal) ____________________

Email (Office) ____________________ Email (Personal)____________________

Please attach a 100 word note on each of the following: • Brief Profile of the Organisation • About Myself • My interest in attending the Workshop

Signature

_______________

Date

_______________