2004 Annual Report, NPDS Project.pdf - IDP SriLanka

100 drawings were chosen from each region by Art Directors of the Zonal EducationOffices and art teachers and the second phase of the competition was conducted asa regional Children’s Day Programme. State authorities, representatives from INGOsand NGOs participated to the proceedings.On the 29 th of September the Children and their guardians were brought to Colomboand they were also taken on a city tour on the next day by the Project.The third phase was the Art exhibition and the awards ceremony organized inColombo on the 1 st of October 2004. The Prime Minister was the chief guest of theAwards ceremony. Concurrently the Project conducted a psychological study by Dr.Hemamala Perera, a senior lecturer and a child psychiatrist form the Medical Faculty,University of Colombo.In the report issued by the Project on the 1 st of October the followingrecommendations were brought forth.It is the responsibility of the Government that all the children with the school goingage have necessary access to quality education and they should not bediscriminated within the education system. Furthermore the Government shouldensure that these children would receive a sustainable education.The School dropouts should be provided with vocational training.The trauma the children have faced is immense. They should be provided withnecessary counseling to make sure that they approach the society with a positivemind frame.The society is developing in leaps and bounds and these children should beexposed to the new technologies and new developments.The Security Forces and the Police should have a good rapport with the children.The Labour Department should take steps to prevent the incidents of child labour.The LTTE should immediately stop child conscription.Furthermore the economic status of the family plays a vital role. Living in thewelfare centers they may be prone to economic dependency. And it may havean impact on the child’s Personality, which may be glimpsed in the drawings.These issues should be addressed.The society as a whole should be responsible for the plight of the children andcorporation is necessary from the society to uphold the status of the InternallyDiscalced Children.EvaluationThe children were given an opportunity to express their ideas through the medium ofdrawing to the general public. Through the programme, seeing the consideration thatwas given to them, the children gained confidence on them selves.Annual Report 2004National Protection and Durable Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons ProjectHuman Rights Commission of Sri Lanka31