World Day Against Child Labour observed
Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 12
Organized by Community Education Centre Society (CECS), Nagarjan, the World Day against Child Labour was observed in Dimapur at the Deputy Commissioner’s conference hall under the theme ‘In conflict and disasters, protect children from child labour’ on Monday.
On the occasion, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur, Sarah Jamir released a short video clip on child labour produced by Dreamz Unlimited and sponsored by the Department of Labour, Nagaland.
Sarah spoke about the need to get back to the root cause of why child labour was prevailing in the state. She said employing somebody’s child for domestic works does not alone define child labour but even employing one’s child in field works was a form of child labour. Sarah maintained out that many parents in remote areas would not need to send their children to towns working as domestic helpers in the guise of pursuing education if the educational institutions were properly run in their places. She also noted that poverty was one of the reasons for parents sending out their children as domestic helpers.
Assistant Labour Commissioner, Dimapur, W. Temwang Konyak informed that the International Labour Organization (ILO) has set the minimum age of employing children for works considered hazardous to 18. He said that the ILO was striving to eliminate child labour by 2025 and encouraged NGOs and departments involved in it to work together towards the goal. Temwang also informed that Dimapur was the only district in the state declared as ‘child labour zone.’
Delivering the introductory note, Director, CECS/Nodal Director, Childline, Subonenba Longkumer quoted official reports that India has over 15 million children employed as labours in the rural areas as cultivators or in household industries and in urban areas as servants and even in construction sites.
He informed that Childline Nagaland in a period of six years had intervened more than 900 cases out of which more than 60-70% were directly or indirectly related to child labour.
“To eradicate domestic child labour and child abuse in our homes we don’t need government schemes or any other regulations but we just need our own decision not to employ children and our conscience that deprives the rights of every child,” he said.
Stating that domestic child workers was a form of ‘modern slavery,’ Subo called upon the citizens to give a chance to the children to live and learn with freedom and dream to be better human beings.
Students of CECS Nagarjan and National Child Labour Project presented special numbers during the programme. The programme was organized in collaboration with Childline Dimapur, Department of Labour, National Child Labour Project and Wipro Cares.
