Three young students from Setupathi Higher Secondary School and M.M. Higher Secondary School partnered with officials of the Department of Labour and painted the wall near the railway junction to mark the World Day Against Child Labour on Saturday..
Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao, who commended the work, said that it was important to spread the anti-child labour message to make Madurai a child labour-free district.
The Collector pasted stickers with anti-child labour slogans in vehicles plying near the junction.
He also took part in an inspection of hotels and establishments to check whether they employed children. Stickers were pasted in establishments to certify that they were child-labour free. Assistant Commissioner of Labour (Enforcement) J. Kalidas said that the department would conduct regular raids to keep this problem at bay. He added that more activities would be promoted to raise awareness among the public.
Mini marathon
The air was rife with enthusiasm as 150 students took part in the first edition of ‘Run for Child Rights’ mini marathon here on Saturday.
A boy painting the hardship of child labour on the wall near railway junction in Madurai on Saturday.
Sakthi-Vidiyal, an organisation which has been working for the rights of children from excluded communities for over two decades, organised this event as part of its silver jubilee celebration. Children across various age groups took part in the event to raise awareness of child’s right to life, participation, development and protection. The participants ran the non-competitive mini marathon around Mariamman Teppakulam for five kilometres.
K.P. Murugan, president of Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association (MADITSSIA), addressed the participants and flagged off the run. He acknowledged the extensive work done by Vidiyal in uplifting downtrodden children in Madurai. He said that children had the power of changing the future. He spoke on child rights which were blatantly overlooked.
Jim Jesudoss, the executive director of the NGO, said that the marathon was a tool that prompted discussion. “Most of the time children are at the mercy of adults. The caregiver needs to understand that children have their own dreams and aspirations that need to be given importance. A child’s participation in discussion is seminal - particularly in areas of education and marriage. The marathon is an attempt to raise awareness of all these issues,” he said.
C. Priya, a participant, said, “As a young leader in Sakthi-Vidiyal, I understand that different tools need to be used to prove to children that they are not inferior. Our voices need to be heard. The marathon combined the ‘fun’ element. As staff and volunteers encouraged us to complete the marathon, we realised we could do anything,” she said.
