Children’s voices and leadership drive inclusive, community-led child protection. Bal Panchayats (Children’s Parliaments) give children a platform to raise concerns, take action, and lead on issues affecting their lives. Miracle Foundation India, together with Parivartan Mahila Sanstha, facilitated a peer learning visit for Bal Panchayat children from Ramnagar in Pune, Maharashtra, on November 8-9, 2025. These children engaged in meaningful dialogue with peers from three localities in the tribal belt of Aase Gram Panchayat in Mokhada, Palghar, fostering collaboration and shared learning across diverse contexts. They explored local communities, visited families, and participated in a meeting with the Sarpanch of Aase Gram Panchayat, raising questions and discussing challenges such as school dropouts, child labour, migration, and gaps in healthcare and other basic amenities.

Through home visits, exploration of community play spaces, and engagement with the community, the children gained first-hand insight into how local systems respond to vulnerabilities while also sharing about creative child rights awareness initiatives. With the participation of the District Child Protection Officer, Palghar, and the Child Helpline Coordinator, Mokhada, gaps in accessing welfare schemes were addressed, ensuring identified children and families were connected to essential support.

This exercise strengthened children’s confidence, leadership, and collective action, demonstrating how peer learning can deepen participation and build more responsive child protection systems. The visit became a vibrant exchange of ideas, experiences, and inspiration, a true convergence of urban and rural voices for child participation and protection.