Jagran New Media and UNODC recently organized a fun and interactive dialogue where young change leaders with stars in their eyes and a firm resolve in their hearts came together to deliberate on peace, social change and why SDG’s matter! This dialogue was very different from the ones held so far because a select group of school students from various parts of the country came together to share their views on issues that matter and showcased the initiatives they’ve taken during the COVID-19 induced lockdown.
Need for Social Sensitization of Youth
An important theme that emerged during the JNM – UNODC panel discussion, was on the need of social sensitization of students and how it can lay a strong, healthy and lasting foundation for a bright future for tomorrow. UNODC’s Education for Justice Initiative has also helped lay a strong foundation for the same among the students with help of educators and teachers.
Talking about the impact of the programme, Samarth Pathak, UNODC Communications Office for South Asia said that “Under UNODC’s Lockdown Learners program, we have so far engaged with thousands of students from across social and economic backgrounds with a strong emphasis on gender balance. I have personally observed the passion and commitment with which students and educators have extended support to our efforts. The youth today are very vocal, very enthusiastic and very innovative in their thinking. They do want to work on addressing social issues, combat crime and strengthen peace and security.”
“Many of these students, hailing from metros, small towns and rural areas, have come forward with a lot of inspiring stories. For example, in Jharkhand’s Deoghar, girls like Tara and Rajiya are actively breaking gender barriers to pursue what they want to do—be it sports or proactive outreach. In the online space, students from Bengaluru have created online games and websites to promote awareness on critical issues. Others are using their skills in music, films and art to address social themes. Similarly, in Jhajjar as well as Deoghar, students are contemplating student clubs and spearheading community initiatives. These are all excellent efforts---I truly believe that the time has come for us to rethink our approach towards engaging with children and youth through education,” he added.
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Creating Clubs on Social Themes
Sharing how students can positively contribute in bringing about important changes in terms of promotion of peace and social harmony, Pragati Dalal, a student from JNV Jhajjar said “Youth like us should spearhead social clubs on important issues, like SDGs, gender equality and social harmony. It is a need of the hour. I am glad that engaging with UNODC has opened so many opportunities for us. Many of my friends are also using art, for example, to create awareness. I think youth from all backgrounds should come together and create clubs to help others and promote information-sharing on important social themes. The JNV Jhajjar SDG 16 Club is an example of this.”
On similar lines, Asavri Verma, a student of Delhi’s Ahlcon International School added that “As youth, we should never stop exploring new horizons, especially to promote peace and justice around us. We should also not let our backgrounds and social identities define us. My sister Ananya and I have been using music to create awareness on these issues. UNODC’s Lockdown Learners has been a very helpful platform, from which we received a direction as well as a space to effectively utilize our skills.”
Gender Inequalities in Education Opportunities
Gender Issues and Inequality is another major social concern that plague the students, especially the girl students. Sharing how UNODC’s initiative helped her, Tara Kumari, a student from Deoghar, Jharkhand said that “I was on the verge of quitting sports due to gender inequalities in society. There is a perception of what girls can do and what cannot, and I want to break these stereotypes by becoming a world class sportswoman. Joining UNODC’s Lockdown Learners discussions opened my eyes and I now think it is my duty to promote SDG 5 on gender equality and SDG 16 on peace and justice.”
“Participating in the UNODC sessions, I was inspired to look at gender divides and inequality as important issues that matter. I believe in the power of raising our voice to address social problems. I want to become a teacher and promote education among girls, to empower them to pursue any field they choose. Peace and SDGs matter,” added Rajiya Khatun, a student from Deoghar, Jharkhand.
Building Peace and Social Harmony
Talking about the challenge of fake news and misinformation and how it is creating rift between communities, Tanu Lohchab, a student from JNV Jhajjar shared that “I believe issues like misinformation really impact peace as well as social harmony. It leads to discrimination and divides between people and communities. To counter this problem, I believe youth-led clubs and networks on fact-checking can be very impactful. I never knew about how these things affect society until I joined the UNODC-JNV Jhajjar Whatsapp group and attended the discussions. They were highly interactive and aimed at problem-solving, rather than only giving information.”
Overcoming Digital Divide
One of the biggest challenges that COVID-19 has exposed, especially when it comes to academic continuity among the students is digital divide. With thousands of students having no or limited access to internet connectivity, the shift to a digital classroom has not been completely seemless. Ratan Kumar – a student from Deoghar, Jharkhand shared an innovative programme that students from his school designed to cover come this challenge. He said “Through our copies exchange program, we are creating a network of volunteers to support students with no internet access. I believe youth must work with unity and compassion, and seek to address social problems. The information on different aspects of peace and SDGs that I received in the Lockdown Learners program has been very helpful. I am now committed to act to promote these causes.”
About UNODC’s “Lockdown Learners” Series
Launched in April 2020 amid the nationwide Lockdown, the “Lockdown Learners” is a series of free-of-cost, interactive dialogues with students and educators in India on topics pertaining to COVID-19 and its impact on the SDGs (especially SDG 16), peace and the rule of law. The Lockdown Learners series also aims to provide a platform for students to receive mentorship and knowledge support to use their skills to promote awareness among these issues and share their ideas and solutions to address some of these problems. The campaign supports UNODC’s Education for Justice Initiative.
Fuelled by the support of educators and students, UNODC’s “Lockdown Learners” series continues to gain traction in India, with several new schools joining hands to facilitate online interactive dialogues on COVID-19 and its impact on peace, the rule of law and UNODC mandates.
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