A multi-stakeholder initiative, launched here for eradicating child labour, has taken a resolve to rehabilitate the rescued children and undertake collective action to promote child labour-free goods and stop trafficking of children. The governments of two States and civil society groups have come together to support the initiative.
Citizens and industries also joined hands at the launch of the programme here over the week-end, saying they would spread awareness about the need to end the “despicable practice”. The governments of Rajasthan and Bihar will take joint action to stop trafficking of children from various towns of Bihar to the workshops and home-based production units in Jaipur.
Besides, partners of the initiative in Bihar will work for recovery of victims, their rehabilitation, access to compensation, enrolment in schools and regular follow-up visits to prevent re-trafficking.
About 80% of children employed in the workshops in Shastri Nagar, Ramganj, Chandpole and Brahmapuri localities of Jaipur are trafficked from Bihar. Over half of them are in the age group of 10 to 14 years and they end up working in harsh conditions for 15 hours a day, for which they receive a meagre payment of ₹800 to ₹2,000 per month.
Additional Labour Commissioner C.B.S. Rathore flagged off a mobile van which will reach out to citizens and ask them to take a strong stand against child labour. Mr. Rathore said the initiative was a platform for scaling up the Labour Department’s efforts, which would ensure that “no child is robbed of his or her childhood”.
Jaipur Collector Jagroop Singh Yadav said all partners of the initiative would identify the root cause and extent of child labour in the State capital and make suitable interventions for its eradication.
“A comprehensive rehabilitation of victims will ensure that our children grow up to become responsible citizens,” he said.
The child labour-free goods production will be taken up through partnership with leading business champions with the goal of making Jaipur the safest place for international retailers and ethical Indian companies to do business. The initiative will also engage local communities to build resistance and raise awareness through hoardings, bus shelters, street performances and school presentations, requesting the public to call the helpline for children.
Published - January 21, 2019 01:46 am IST
