Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Child labour

June 12th is observed as the world day against the child labour. How many of us know that there is day exist like this. I'm afraid the answer to this is very less people. Those people would have seen some ad in the newspaper while having their morning coffee. That is it. We forget the fact afterwards.
The ILO - International Labour Organization - estimates that around 165 million people in the age group of 5 to 14 are involved in the most dreaded disease called child labour and I’m quite confident that majority of the children are from India. But what are we doing so that this could be avoided and none is the response for that.
This years theme for the ILO is education: right response to the child labour.
Most of us were privileged to get the education when we were kids. Now it is the time to give back to the society. How? Here are some of the things that can be followed by us.
- there is a toll free number 1098, call these people wherever you find the child is involved in labour/work
- Stop eating in the hotels which involve children for work esp. the andhra mess
- If you go to a mechanic shop and if a Child comes to service you, Please reject it out right (This is very debatable point)
-If you are from a village, then try to go there whenever time permits and try to teach them anything and everything. Getting to grassroot level is very important
- Stop bursting the crackers for Diwali, even thou their packets says that it does not involve child labour. See it to believe it
- If you are in a very good financial position, try to sponsor something to the poor children in the neighbor hood
- Try to spread the awareness about the problems that will be caused from child labour
- Help the Govt and the UN in eradicating the Child labour by the year 2015

As a nation, we are plagued with problems. Let us try to remove one problem from the long list. If we remove child labour, then we might also eradicate some of the poverty related problems. We should never see the short term gains but instead see the long term gains. The Govt has made the education until the age of 14 as free and compulsory!

4 comments:

King Vishy said...

Good post, Lava.. Thanks for reminding us at an opportune moment..

To the rest of us:
let's re-read the bullet points Lava has listed here.. Most of them are do-able.. Do not EVER think your actions will not have any effect.. When many people walk away from the Andhra mess, they will HAVE to think about it.. And to reach that level, lets spread the msg around.. Request one and all to spread this msg of goodwill around on emails..

But there is one more point to be considered Lava.. If successful, what you have listed will throw the children out from work.. But who is to take them to the schools? So the actual problem would still remain..

Nonetheless this would be a good start..

Lava (Sanskrit: लव) said...

@king
Very good point. Who is take them to the school? That is where the social responsibilty of ours come into picture. Spread the awareness. Lets turn the tide.

Karthik said...

you slapped me in the face dude....i admit my ignorance of this very special day.....i think most of the parents will be really interested in sending to children to study.......i believe that basic education shud be made free to everyone......we can do that by increasing the tax....or allocating a part of it that is already there.....the basic motto should be "Give back wat you get".....let us all try to give the education we got to others who are in need of it....

R Srikkant said...

Nice post Lava anna. However, I have a small apprehension about it. Suppose, i see a child serving in a hotel, (which is quite often) i call up that toll free no and as a result the child loses that job, what s the guarantee that the child reverts back to studies.

There s every chance that the child is forced to look for some other job by the destitute family. In effect, i shouldn't end up just starving the family for a day or two till the child finds another job? Rite? Your comments on that!!