C R L International

Transforming the paternalistic attitude of considering children as passive recipients of protection into treating them as subjects of rights is a challenging goal towards which C R L works. Patriarchal attitude still prevailing in our society creating an imbalance in the responsibilities, duties and tasks connected with nurturing children has spread beyond the family frontiers and penetrated into professional arenas involving children. This patriarchal attitude has prevented the Sri Lankan adult community from understanding the crucial importance of nurturing the child’s total personality – the physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development.

C R L through its Human Resource Development Workshop Retreats on Child Rights works to break this vicious cycle by involving adult participants to meaningfully understand the power dynamics between adults and children by taking them on a journey through their own childhood. With a transformed mindset adult participants are able to understand the problems encountered by children in Sri Lanka and worldwide from a child rights perspective. The Workshop content has contributed in convincing the adult participants of their potential to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children they come into contact with.

Sri Lanka being a developing country grappling with issues of modernization, globalization and commercialization and burdened with poverty, illiteracy, malnutrition, war, crimes, child abuse, etc urgently need to groom a new generation of architects capable of transforming society and redirecting the country towards peace and prosperity. If there is to be even a glimmer of hope for the future of Sri Lanka, the 7.2 million Sri Lankan children and youth under 19 years have to be guided along a new direction in their journey of life.

C R L believing in the potential and strength of children in transforming their threatened childhood without jeapardising their prospective adulthood has stepped in to guide them in an innovative and child-centred manner integrating wholesome cultural values with child-friendly modern technological methodologies.

C R L’s Child Leadership and Child Participation initiative takes the children on a journey of self-discovery reconnecting them with their own selves and every thing around them embracing human, animal and the plant world. Immediate responses of child participants proved that this initiative has created a strong feeling of hope, confidence and determination in them about their own future and that of the country.