Awareness, punishment hold key to eradicate child labour: Hilda Rayappan

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, June 4, 2013: Every child on this earth has the right to live, right to protection and welfare. Various bodies including child rights commissions and NGOs are working  to ensure that each child goes to school. Still we have not been able to  have a society free from child labour, regretted Hilda Rayappan, Director of Prajna Counseling Centre.

Participating in a preparatory meeting convened at the DC office here on June 4, Tuesday to discuss arrangements to be made for the World Anti-Child Labour Day to be observed on June 12, Hilda Rayappan said  though there is some hesitation to employ child labourers  in hotels and business establishments,  children are still being employed as domestic helps at several places even in a forward thinking district like ours. Awareness and stern punishment are the key to eradicate child labour, she observed.

Deputy Commissioner N Prakash presided over the meeting.

The labour officials present at the meeting informed that  during the year 2012-13, three child labourers have been traced in the district. Of them two  were employed in a hazardous industry while one child was working in a non-hazardous place. One child has been handed over to its parents, while another child is at the Chinnara Tangudhama at Bejai Kapikad. The third child labourer who has been rescued  is  admitted to school, the officials informed. Though 11 other children were identified as child labourers, all of them were found to have crossed 14 years of age and have been entrusted to the care of their parents, they further informed.

As part of Anti-Child Labour Day programmes, a jatha will be taken out from Jyothi Circle to Town Hall on June 12. There will also be awareness street plays and mime show.

Additional DC KA Dayananda and other departmental officials were present at the meeting.