The message against child labour

The enthusiasm and the earnestness with which the guests arrived at Yeashwantrao Chavan Auditorium to attend the program on World Day Against Child Labour showed that the nation has finally woken up to adverse consequences of child labour.

The programme was mutually organised by UNICEF, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Government of India, Maharashtra state government, and ILO on June 12, 2001 to spread a message regarding the menace of child labour.

Child labour has been an eternal problem in India. In spite of the Government of India passing laws against it, children under 14 continue to work in different shops, factories, mines, and as domestic help across India.

While talking to an employer of a tea stall in one of the streets of the capital city, it was cleverly conveyed by him that child labour is a difficult thing to eradicate completely as it is dedicated labour in return of minimal wage or no wage at all.

This is exactly what the Chief Minister of Mharashtra, Prithvi Raj Chavan, present at the program harped upon again and again while praising the commendable initiatives taken up by UNICEF and ILO in the recent past in the form of different programs.

Apart from Chavan, the program was majorly attended by social activists and journalists all over the nation. The program that began with several audio visuals brilliantly showcasing the cause of eradicating child labour and enforcing the right to education on every child was then taken over by the different panelists who spoke in length and in affirmative regarding their strong initiatives towards the cause.

While all the panelists harped on the fact that NGOs as well as media are equally important to spread the awareness, the Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, signed off with his thanks-giving note saying that “we will fight against child labour wherever it exists and ensure that each one of them goes to school”.