Chennai
Andrew Sesuraj, Child Participation Expert, said that the workshop was a sort of a leadership camp. “Rehabilitated child domestic workers as well as children of domestic workers have been included in this camp. Child leaders from across the country will be groomed in leadership skills and life-lessons. The focus will also be on equipping children with their rights as well as discuss community-specific problems. The workshop will end with an election, where the children office-bearers for the next year will be chosen. They will have to devise plans on the issues they will focus on in their states and provide an action plan to curb child labour,” he said.
According to Father Chetan Chandran, who works with NDWM in Jharkhand, these workshops include children in the decision making process. “Children are often not a part of the decision making process. We are trying to change that and involve children in a range of community issues,” he said.
Highlighting the seriousness of the problem, Sr. Valarmathi, Tamil Nadu State Coordinator, said, “From Viluppuram district, a huge number of children were sent to Kerala, Karnataka or even Chennai, as domestic workers. Most of these children are exploited and reports of child abuse are common. Since child labour is an invisible problem, we are creating awareness in these areas. We inform parents about the importance of education. Now, the numbers have come down in these areas but in other parts of the state, the problem is on the rise.”
The recent amendment in the Child Labour Act, which allows children above 14 to be employed in family-run enterprises will only lead to a spike in child labour, said the activists. Christin Mary, National Coordinator, NDWM, said the group is actively lobbying against the amendments. “In India, the family structure is very complicated, as even relatives are included in it. This will lead to an increase in child labour, while hurting a child’s right to dream of a better life,” she said.
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