National Child Rights Research Fellowships 2013

Child Rights and You (CRY)

Draft of National Child Rights Research Fellowships 2013 – 14 (Year VII)

Childhood in India is not the same for all children; many childhoods co-exist based on economic and social conditions, physical and mental ability as well as of geographical location to name a few. Respecting children as sovereign, equal members is a step towards recognising their voices in defining their best interest as participants and not just mute beneficiaries of state or community welfare.

Child Rights and You (CRY) welcomes applications from research fellows exploring the various dimensions of child rights, within the broad understanding of Justice for Children. As an organisation CRY is committed to changing the way children experience their childhood by being  strategic in our choice of issues, approaches and utilisation of resources to maximise our impact on children. This commitment to children is reiterated through the CRY goals as outlined below:

We will continue in our efforts to ensure that every child – whether in villages or towns can access high quality education that is free for all children until they turn 18 years old. 

We will redouble our efforts to ensure that children survive, grow and develop in a healthy manner. We will ensure that more mothers and children in every village and town will be able to access free and quality primary health care.

We will tackle malnutrition, actively focussing on bringing about a reduction in the rate of child malnutrition in CRY project areas.

We will continue in our efforts by contributing towards creating a protective environment for children that is free from violence, abuse and exploitation.

We will continue to ensure that children's voices are recognised as significant and unique in issues that affect them, and amplify their cares and concerns to society at large.

We seek a combination of formal and informal approaches to explore and discover, simple and complex truths about the interplay of culture, ethics and policies determining childhoods. CRY believes in encouraging a community of child rights researchers who will advocate for child rights.

Possible Focus Areas

Researchers are welcome to expand and interpret themes, based on their life experiences and vision.  

Explorations of the relationships of the child with other children, with the state, community and the family

Evidences of the assertion or rejection of the role of children in decision making arenas, such as home, school, work and play spaces and governing institutions

Gather evidence on relationships between ethnicity, inequality and conflict as witnessed and/or experienced by children

Is the `best interest principle', a value, a constitutional right, an interpretative advocacy instrument or a rule of law?

Principles governing the Fellowship

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

Dignity

Equality

Justice

Integrity

Eligibility: Applicants will be Indians residing in India, above the age of 18 years. If your proposal is part of a submission to any academic institution or if the fellow is already receiving funding for conduct of the research proposed, will be ineligible for this fellowship.

 Language: Applicants may choose to work in any Indian language including English.  Your application needs to clearly mention the language in which you will submit the report. As the assessment of your research proposal, will be conducted in English, please also include an English translation of the proposal, CV and work sample.

Grant Sizes: Up-to 5 fellowships ranging from Rs.50, 000 to Rs.1 lakh will be awarded. Fellows are free to continue their primary occupation. Proposals above one lakh will not be reviewed. The fellowship grant will released in installments against specific deliverables.

Duration: The duration of the fellowship is one year. Proposals where duration exceeds a year will not be considered

Dissemination: Research findings will be made available to activists, academics, development practitioners and interested general public through multiple fora, including language translations to influence the course of the debate on child rights and the best interest principle.

Ownership: While fellows will retain authorship of the final research report and content, all information and insights gathered will be available to the widest group of people, free of cost. Fellows are free to publish the insights of their research efforts, with appropriate acknowledgement to the National Child Rights Research Fellowship and CRY. Fellows will also inform CRY about publication of their work.

Essential requirements

1.  A three-page proposal, which briefly explains your topic of study, objectives and outlines the research question within a framework, proposed methodology, time lines, a reading list of related literature/existing studies on the subject and a detailed budget

2.   A two-page updated CV

3.  A sample of your published or unpublished paper/article or any documentation done on a related theme.

4. Names, phone numbers and email addresses of two referees willing to furnish a reference for you.

Selected fellows will participate in an Initial workshop to share research plans and gain from the collective experience closer to September 2013. They will also attend an interim workshop and an Annual sharing workshop at the closure of their fellowship. CRY will sponsor travel, boarding and lodging for all these meetings. Short-listed applicants will have opportunity to share their ideas and future plans, in conversation with members of the CRY assessment team.

Last Date for receiving applications is 21st June, 2013.

Please E-mail your application to: research@crymail.org in the absence of internet access you may send your application by post to

CRY-Child Rights and You, Documentation Centre,

189 A, Anand Estate, Sane Guruji Marg, Mumbai 400011.

The names of researchers awarded the Fellowship will be announced on www.cry.org  in September 2013.