CRY - Child Rights and You, invites applications for research fellowships exploring multiple dimensions of child rights within the broad framework of justice for children. Whilst on the one hand, the Constitution of India redefines the state-citizen relationship in terms of rights and duties, on the other hand, there is a lot of ambiguity on how to interpret these rights and duties in terms of the best interest of the child principle as stated in regular parlance as well as in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). In the last six decades, children have been an integral part of the nation building project and its development path, as also the hard times as a consequence to the development path taken. One objective is to trace the identity formation of children as a potential force that defines various developmental processes, as also the descriptive analysis of how their childhood is lived in the context of changes that have been the characteristics of the institutions of family, community, society, economy and the state.
Potential fellows are welcome to expand and interpret the themes, based on their life experiences and vision. We encourage original ideas, non conventional approaches and seek creative methodologies intending to learn more about the interplay of culture, tradition, law, ethics and policy in defining the best interest principle.
Possible Focus Areas
Child rights in the context of disappearance and reinvention of traditions, customs, norms and mores; and as also the impact of emergence of new kinds of rural technologies and occupations.
Creativity and imagination, in the experience and expression of childhoods.
Evidences of the assertion or rejection of the role of children in various decision making arenas across spaces such as households, advertisements, political party campaigns to governing institutions.
Insights on children actively and passively amidst conflicts, violence and discrimination.
Reflect on constructions of childhood and the implications on children's rights.
Locating identity questions (language, discourse, representation) within the school-community relationship.
Is best interest principle, a value, a constitutional right, an interpretative advocacy instrument or a rule of law.
Principles governing the Fellowship
Eligibility: Indians residing in India, above the age of 18 years. There is no upper age limit. Preference will be given to applicants who have studied in government schools, where no fees are charged (CRY's experiential learning of working with over 2000 deprived communities in villages and slums demonstrates that students attending government schools are primarily Dalits, tribals, girls and children from female headed and/or landless households.)
It is expected that potential fellows ascribe to the CRY values:
-Respect for Human Dignity-Secularism-Non-Violence-Accountability-Innovation -Transparency-Working in Partnership
Language: Proposals may be submitted in any Indian language.
Grant Sizes: In all up-to 10 fellowships for grant sizes ranging from Rs.50,000 to Rs.1 lakh will be awarded. These will be support grants and fellows are free to continue their primary occupation or study programme. The proposals seeking grants of more than one lakh will not be reviewed.
Time Frame for Completion of Research Project: From one month to one year. Selected fellows are expected to participate in an initial workshop to share research plans and gain from the collective experience possibly in March / April 2009. They will also be expected to participate at a half yearly sharing meeting in September 2009 for which CRY will sponsor travel, boarding and lodging.
Dissemination: Research results will be made available to a broad audience of activists, academics, development practitioners and 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 product, all information and insights gathered will be open access and available to the widest possible numbers, for no charge. Fellows will also be free to publish their research efforts, with appropriate acknowledgement of the National Child Rights Research Fellowship and CRY.
Requirements: Proposals must include the following.
A three-page proposal, that elaborates on scope, relevance, research question, conceptual framework, proposed methodology, time frame and detailed budget.
A two-page CV.
A sample of published or even unpublished work or any documentation done on a related theme is essential for the proposal to be reviewed.
Only Regional Language Proposals may also be sent by post to CRY Documentation Centre, CRY-Child Rights and You, 189 A, Anand Estate, Sane Guruji Marg, Mumbai 400011.
Proposals already part of a submission to any academic institution will be considered ineligible for this fellowship. It is expected that the potential fellow is not already receiving funding for conduct of the research proposed. In case during the course of the Fellowship, there is need to expand the scope and add greater depth, it is expected that CRY will be informed first about the need for additional funds. Also any other donors reached out to will be informed about CRY support for the principal work.
Last Date for receipt of application: October 28, 2008. Proposals will be reviewed as they are received. The names of researchers who are awarded the Fellowship 2009 will be announced on the CRY website latest by April 2009.
E-mail your proposal to
research@crymail.org 
