Say NO To Child Labour: A boy collects plastic waste and garbage to sell, at a garbage dumping site in Dimapur. Child Labour refers to the practice where industries and individuals, employee young innocent children and put them to work under grueling circumstances. Community Education Centre Society plans to conduct the biggest ever campaign against Child Labour in Nagaland and is on the lookout for 5000 volunteers to take part in the World Day against Child Labour on June 12. (Photo by Caisii Mao)
Dimapur, April 24 (MExN): In order to inculcate a sense of responsibility among Naga youths on the effects of Child Labour in society, Community Education Centre Society (CECS) is on the look out for 5000 volunteers to take part in the World Day against Child Labour on June 12. Project Director CECS, Subonenba Longkumer said that the main objective of the campaign is to empower youths and educate them about Child Labour so that through them changes can occur. “Youths are the leaders of tomorrow. If we can educate them now, maybe they will grow up to be more responsible citizens,” Longkumer said. Last year the campaign drew 1,000 volunteers who signed a pledge to fight Child Labour. This year, the volunteers will be given wrist bands as a symbol of their support for the cause.
The campaign is going to be a month long. CECS plans to make this the biggest ever campaign against Child Labour in the State. By May 2, different activities like poster campaigns, street plays and awareness among schools will begin. Christian music band Divine Connection will perform on the culmination day of the campaign on June 12. Longkumer said that through this campaign they want to establish a network though which youngster can teach each other and also spread awareness about Child Labour. The campaign will be supported by several other organisations.
Longkumer further emphasized on the need to create more awareness on the issue. The demand for domestic child labour has become alarmingly high in Nagaland and there is an urgent need to stop it, Longkumer said. On June 12 CECS will provide prevailing statistics and report on the survey conducted on Child Labour in the state. He said: “It is impossible to block the sun with a finger so also we cannot block Child Labour. But we can make a difference with our help, with our actions.” He further appealed to educated youths to come forward and join the campaign to fight Child Labour.
The need to address the issue of Child Labour has become more pertinent than ever before. Although Child Labour has decreased over the last couple of years there are still 5.7 million working girls and boys who are under the minimum age for employment worldwide. Most of these children work as domestic child labour or forced bonded labour in homes, restaurants, factories, shops, etc, and under very harsh conditions. Not only are they denied their basic human rights but are also susceptible to violent physical and sexual abuse. And studies reveal that this reality is highly active in Nagaland also.
The campaign is going to be a month long. CECS plans to make this the biggest ever campaign against Child Labour in the State. By May 2, different activities like poster campaigns, street plays and awareness among schools will begin. Christian music band Divine Connection will perform on the culmination day of the campaign on June 12. Longkumer said that through this campaign they want to establish a network though which youngster can teach each other and also spread awareness about Child Labour. The campaign will be supported by several other organisations.
Longkumer further emphasized on the need to create more awareness on the issue. The demand for domestic child labour has become alarmingly high in Nagaland and there is an urgent need to stop it, Longkumer said. On June 12 CECS will provide prevailing statistics and report on the survey conducted on Child Labour in the state. He said: “It is impossible to block the sun with a finger so also we cannot block Child Labour. But we can make a difference with our help, with our actions.” He further appealed to educated youths to come forward and join the campaign to fight Child Labour.
The need to address the issue of Child Labour has become more pertinent than ever before. Although Child Labour has decreased over the last couple of years there are still 5.7 million working girls and boys who are under the minimum age for employment worldwide. Most of these children work as domestic child labour or forced bonded labour in homes, restaurants, factories, shops, etc, and under very harsh conditions. Not only are they denied their basic human rights but are also susceptible to violent physical and sexual abuse. And studies reveal that this reality is highly active in Nagaland also.
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