Right to education helps to eliminate child labour

SEVAI appreciated by Rajeev Ranjan IAS

Right to education being implemented helps to eliminate child labour in Trichy District, Tamilnadu, India. Child labour elimination project has been successfully implemented in Trichirappalli District and this project has been implemented in the second decade as a intensive project by the District Administration.Child labour is a complex socio-economic problem to be dealt through sustained efforts over a period of time. Concerted attempts have been made to follow a pro-active policy in the matter of tackling the problem through constitutional, statutory and developmental measures. The Child Labour Act, 1986 seeks to achieve this basic objective. It prohibits employment of children in 13 occupations and 57 processes. Any person who employs any child in contravention of the provisions of section 3 of the Act shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three months but which may extend to Rs. 20,000 or both. Government is committed to the goal of eradication of child labour in all its forms. Considering the nature and magnitude of the problem a gradual and sequential approach has been adopted to withdraw and rehabilitate child labour beginning with the children working in hazardous occupations and processes. The major activity under the NCLP is the establishment of special schools to provide non-formal/formal education, vocational training, stipend, health check up, supplementary nutrition etc to children withdrawn from employment. The child labourers in 9-14 age group would be put through a special schooling mechanism before mainstreaming them into the formal schooling system, this model of the NCLP scheme already is being implemented by the Ministry of Labour since 1988.The International Labour Organization (ILO) launched the World Day Against Child Labour to focus attention on the global extent of child labour and the action and efforts needed to eliminate it. Significant progress is being made worldwide in combating child labour. The new global estimates of trends reinforce this message of hope. However, a strong and sustained global movement is needed to provide the extra push towards eliminating the scourge of child labour. Initially voluntary agencies played vital role in creating awareness pertaining to the elimination of child labour in mid nineties and their services were also very much appreciated.-Govin