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National Convenor:  Dr.Vasanthi Raman
National Coordinator:  Savitri Ray


The Centre is a founder member of the Forum for Creches and Child Care Services (FORCES) network. It came into being on 17 January 1989 following the recommendations of the Shram Shakti Report brought out by the National Commission of Self Employed Women and Women in the Informal Sector. Though founded to act as a pressure group, the network is committed to the survival and development of the young child (0-6 years) and women working in the informal sector.

The core vision of FORCES is that every child has the right to early childhood care and development including crèches and childcare services. And also that it is the state’s responsibility to ensure such services for all children, especially those of women working in the unorganized and informal sector.

Convenor

FORCES is an informal network and not a registered body and therefore have no membership fee. The voluntary nature of the network gives no tangible benefits to members but a sense of belonging and working together on certain issues. 
 

There are two main decision-making bodies - the Policy Committee and the National Steering Committee both of which provide direction to the National Secretariat. The Convenor organisation plays a supportive role by providing space for the Secretariat and routing the monies for it. 
 

The National Secretariat rotates every three to five years among the headquarters-based member organizations to ensure ownership. Since April 2007 it is housed at CWDS, the present Convenor of FORCES. The earlier Convenors have been ICCW (Indian Council for Child Welfare), Mobile Creches and YWCA of India. 

Membership

Today FORCES is an All India network comprising of 50 member organizations (Trade unions, women’s organizations, NGOs and academics, lawyers, medical doctors, etc), individual members and eleven regional networks with their own membership. The unique features of FORCES include a special focus on the very young child, the wide geographical area covered by partners and the diversity of organizations that have been drawn together to a common platform for focusing attention on the basic need for childcare support for millions of women working in the unorganized sector. Its activities include grassroots mobilization, campaigns, policy intervention and research.

Regional Networks

The regional networks are actively engaged in advocating the rights of the young child through the convening organization and its members.
 

Critical Issues Identified by FORCES
 

India being a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, it is committed to address the four basic rights (survival, protection, development and participation) through Early Childhood Care and Development ( ECCD) services.

	Declining sex ratio in the context of survival of the girl child, high infant mortality of the girl child and discrimination against her;
	Provision of services like creches and ICDS/day care centres, Maternity Benefits, etc;
	Reach and accessibility of ECCD services by the ‘Last child’ (Children of unorganized labourers; of marginalized communities, in remote locations, of nomadic tribes and migratory populations, in difficult circumstances, affected by riots and civil-strife, suffering from HIV/AIDS, in conflict with the law and the abused, etc);
	Policies affecting nutritional status and leading to high infant/child mortality rates;
	Universalisation of ICDS;
	Education for the under sixes.

FORCES’ Vision has translated into the following Goals

	To build a strong Network of organizations, comprising child care organizations, women’s groups, academic institutions, trade unions and NGOs;
	To create awareness through a sustained campaign on the needs of children of the poor and under-privileged;
	To focus on the right of every child to care and protection, a happy childhood and education;
	To work towards the promotion of day-care services in India, not merely for providing custodial care to children but for all-round development – physical, psychological and social;
	To work with the government of India for the inclusion of child care services in the Minimum Needs Programme and improved resource allocation, programmes and policies;
	To carry out advocacy work on issues relating to children and work on legislation pertaining to children;
	Work towards the setting up of Special Fund (a fixed share of the GNP) for creches and child care services.

Emerging Issues for FORCES

	Advocacy for convergence among all ministries concerned with the young child;
	Continuation and expansion of coordination with various autonomous authorities like NIPCCD, NCERT, etc.;
	Development of a database on relevant issues like nutrition, health, etc.;
	Empowering PRIs to participate effectively in decision making processes;
	Capacity building of our regional networks for research and monitoring.