GUWAHATI, June 10 � Every year, the observation of the World Day Against Child Labour on June 12 is becoming more elaborate and grand, but regrettably, the condition of the underprivileged children compelled to earn hasn�t improved at all. The sight of a child working in hazardous occupation or a child as young as four or five years old working as a domestic help is very common despite the laws prohibiting it.
Calling upon the authorities concerned to implement the laws meant for protection of child rights, World Vision India, Guwahati, which has been advocating for school education of all underprivileged as a step towards eradicating child labour, stressed the need for stringently prohibiting child labour.
�Thousands of children are working to provide for their families. The law was enacted many years back to prohibit child labour, but unfortunately the underprivileged children are still engaged in various hazardous occupations,� said Gamliel Sherio of World Vision India, Guwahati.
He pointed out that the society has to change its attitude if the underprivileged children are to be taken out of slavery.
�The society is comfortable providing good education to a section of children at the cost of the underprivileged children who are employed as domestic help,� said Sherio adding that political will and sincere commitment from all stakeholders was very important to make a difference to the lives of the child labourers.
�Every child out of school is a potential child labourer and this is a stark reality in our society. If we have to eliminate child labour, we must ensure that all children have access to quality education,� said Sherio.
Sherio said that World Vision India wants a total ban on child labour till the age of 18 and proper implementation of the Right to Education Act in communities. He mentioned that the communities have to be proactive in protecting child rights and eliminating child labour.
�Steps should be initiated to form district child protection units,� insisted Sherio.