Morung Express
Kohima | June 12
Nagaland Labour Commissioner, Er L Nungshiyanger on Monday admitted the obvious- that there is existence of child labour in Nagaland, which is mostly in the form of domestic help and called for stringent punishment and penalties against child labour.
Addressing the commemoration of the World against Child Labour day jointly organised by the Department of Labour and CHILDLINE Kohima at APO Hall, Kohima, Nungshiyanger said poverty, lack of proper education, migration of rural to urban are major factors contributing to child labour where the demand for domestic labour is high.
“We are all contributory of child labour in our society. Child labour is the practices of children engaged in economical activities. It deprives the childhood of the child and affects the mental and social well being. We enjoy our own childhood but do not allow the other to enjoy the same,” Nino Iralu, Member Secretary, Nagaland State Legal Service Authority briefing the gathering on the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Amendment Act 2016 in the Naga context, said.
T.L Kiusumong Tikhir, Addl. Deputy Commissioner Kohima said the demand of domestic helpers is increasing which is one concern affecting the Naga society. He also highlighted the other problems of child labour such as trafficking where our own people are involved in trafficking children.
Expressing the need to monitor such problems, Tikhir urged that the root cause of child labour that is –poverty- must be checked because it is poverty that triggers many other problems in society including child labour.
He also said it was high time that we make the church as partners.
“Child protection and child rights has become a major issue of concern for all. In the context of Kohima, the issue of vulnerable children in the domestic sector is a deep concern. The huge supply of children particularly to work as child domestic labour in homes in Kohima is a gross violation of Child Rights. This has to be addressed at the earliest by all stakeholders concerned,” said Anenla T. Sato, Secretary, Labour & Employment, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship.
