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The mountain State of Uttaranchal, India currently has no comprehensive policy on children or children’s rights. Yet: a strong, cohesive children’s policy is essential to building a state that is responsive and attentive to the needs of children, especially in the often very remote areas of the Indian Himalayas. The Mountain Children’s Forum (MCF) and SBMA/Plan, with more than 20 partner organisations, brought together 135 children from rural villages to Dehradun, the state capital, to discuss the rights and needs of children and to work out and then share with the government what they would like to see in documents pertaining to a children’s policy for the state. The Conference, from the 18th-21st May, was funded primarily by SBMA/Plan, Uttarkashi and SBMA/Plan, Gairsain. It also celebrated the fourth anniversary of the founding of the MCF on the 21st May, 2002. The workshop provided the young people of the state an unequalled opportunity to meet and place their concerns before senior Uttaranchal officials, including the Governor; the Secretary of Woman and Child Development, Social Welfare, and Finance; and the Director General of Police. Many of these young people, representing as estimated 7,500 mountain children involved in various ways with the MCF, have already formed MCF chapters in their communities. Many have been working together towards a more equitable society in their villages for the past three years or more, while groups of them had been focusing on discussing Child Policy concerns for up to a month or so before the Conference. In presenting 31 specific recommendations in four major areas of concern-- Rights to Identity, Safety, Development (encompassing primarily education) and Participation--the children noted in their request, formally dated 21st May, that: “…For the past two days we have been sharing these conversations with our fellow delegates at this conference. After discussing the issues carefully, we have selected some issues that we would like to place as policy recommendations before the Government of the State of Uttaranchal. “It is the request of all members of the Mountain Children’s Forum that the Government of Uttaranchal consider these suggestions when formulating a Child Policy for the State. Thank you.” The government officials present said they would work to help the children in their goals and agreed to include the recommendations when considering a state policy on child rights and issues. The MCF as an organisation, headquartered in Dehradun, is exploring specific strategies and programs to follow up on the Conference, especially the implementation of the Child Policy recommendations. Main purpose of the MCF includes empowering children through collective action to improve their lives and communities by improving education, promoting health, preserving the environments, and instilling confidence and pride in their culture. In so doing, the MCF strives to tap into the children’s enthusiasm and energy to help them change the world from the ground up. Visit http://www.mymountains.org/workshops/rights06.htm for the website conference report. To link directly to the children’s full statement and 31 policy recommendations, please see http://www.mymountains.org/workshops/rights06_dec.htm.