WORLD ANTI CHILD LABOUR DAY (JUNE-12)

WORLD ANTI CHILD LABOUR DAY (JUNE-12) The Anti Child Labour Day initiative began in 2002, started by the ILO (International Labour Organization), the UN body which regulates the world of work.A  report by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, says there are as many as 60 million children working in India's agricultural, industrial and commercial sectors, it is estimated there are 12.6 million children in hazardous occupations. India also has the undesirable accolade of having the highest number of child labourers in the world under 14 years of age. The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act prohibits the employment of children below the age of 14.It is thought that 80 per cent of India’s child labourers can be found in rural areas working in agriculture and animal rearing. Elsewhere, the kind of work children are involved in spans almost every industry, many work as domestic servants, in restaurants and tea shops as well as construction and factory work. The employers exploit the children by making them work long hours in poor conditions for extremely low pay.Childreach International India is working in partnership with projects who are working with children and families to provide education and awareness of child’s rightsIn Bangalore this weekend you can show your support by taking part in a walk organized by the Department of Labour, in association with the Bangalore Urban and Rural District Administration. Further details of the walk in Banglore .

The phrase 'Today's children are the citizens of tomorrow' has lost its meaning, given the prevalence of child labour across the country. To spread awareness on the social evil among those who blindly practise child-labour, students of different schools took out a jatha. The event commemorated World Anti-Child Labour Day on 12nd June. Chief District and Sessions Judge Ashok G Ningannavar, has called upon the society to ensure every possible steps to protect child rights. Speaking after inaugurating the World Anti-Child Labour Day programme in Mangalore on June 12, Tuesday, he said children continue to be exploited in various forms like child labour, child trafficking, flesh trade etc and added ignorance of the society on child rights issue was  Every year, millions of children are deprived of their basic rights to adequate education, health and freedom and are exposed to the worst forms of child labour. The city witnessed various 'World Anti-Child Labour Day' programmes on June 12. Hundreds of children and adults participated in the Seminar on 12nd June, 2012 at Kurakar Center,Kottarakara  organized by Kerala Kavyakla Sahithy to raise the public’s awareness on the negative repercussions of child labour. The Seminar was organized to commemorate World Anti-Child Labour Day, “Our target is the parents, the children and employers recruiting children. We want them to share with us the responsibility of protecting the rights of the child and we aim to highlight the fact that children’s place is at school and not in the labour market,”  Prof. John Kurakar, President, Kerala Kavyakala Sahithy Presided. Mr. Kunjachan Paruthiyara, Mr. Neelaswaram Sadasivan, Mr Muraleedharan were presented papers on Child labour.

Prof. John Kurakar