DCPU observes ‘World Day Against Child Labour’

Speaking as panel session speaker, GB federation general secretary-Shikuto Zalipu in his remark said that historically, Naga society had no account of child labour or women exploitation instead child and women were kept as priced possession. Even kids working in the field were not taken as labourers but as extra help since Nagaland is basically an agriculture based economy.

Adding that although Nagaland had progressed into an urbanized state, two-third of its still lived in rural areas and those were the section that was in danger of being victimised. He said, parents living in rural places send their children to urban areas in hopes of better education but unfortunately those children fall into unhealthy situations which in turn and add to child labour. He said all these factors contribute to the urgent need for a collective effort to remove child labour.

Also speaking as a panel speaker, Oriental Theological Seminary principal Dr. Wati Aier disclosed that multi-national companies on the lookout for cheap labours in developing countries are to be blamed for the rise of child labourers as the competitions among various companies are leading to exploitations in poor countries.

Highlight on the amendments made on the Child Labour Act on April 15, 2015, Dr Aier said, the amendments made are questionable as they allow children to work on ‘certain places’ which are not ‘hazardous’ after the school hours when there is no proper way of defining the term ‘hazardous’.

He added that some of the major factors leading to child labour are poverty, limited education and the faulty system.

Dr Aier opined that if churches of the state adapt a pilot project and focus on marginalized children, there could be change. He added that since theologically the Christian principle was based solely on saving souls and attaining salvation the marginalized people were equally precious souls as anyone else.

Also speaking during the event, Naga Women Hoho, Dimapur president Hukheli Wotsa, said the special occasion was observed in order to defend children from engaging on certain circumstances which are totally necessary for their survival and educational need. Nevertheless, she added, child labour was prevalent in the state and the educational system followed in the state was also partly to be blamed for such cases of child labour. She express believe in the need to indulge children to help out in household chores to as to cultivate a sense of work culture.

Dwelling on the factors leading to the emergence of child labour particularly in Nagaland, The Morung Express editor Akum Longchari, said unless people do not understand the need to come out of the safety and security of their homes, the demand for child labour could not be controlled. Adding that there was a need to understand the variety of circumstances from the beginning to the end, Longchari said the actions taken to protect children should be interconnected to the root causes that were responsible for child labour in the first place.

Suggesting measures that can be taken up in the fight against child labour, Longchari said one of the most important step would be to get more children into schools as that would be the best defence against child labour. And that pre-schooling was very vital in this case for the development of children and starting schools from the age of 6 years makes children miss the most important phase of learning.

He said, according to Global Slavery Index of 2016, an estimated 18.3 million Indians live in conditions listed as ‘modern slavery’ with an increase of 4.1 million since 2014. 

Also speaking during the programme, a representative for Childline India Foundation, said that when the foundation was launched in Nagaland in 2011 with a target which they thought was too big for a place like Dimapur which is majority Christian and inhabited by Nagas. But when the foundation started working they surpassed the target they had set and till 2016 the foundation had rescued more than 700 children of which 70% are domestic child labour.

She highlighted that Nagas deny the context of child labour and people often responded that those who work as domestic helps were treated as their own children. But she said, this in reality was entirely different and those children were gravely discriminated. She narrated a few instances the foundation came across while on their mission of rescuing. It may be mentioned here that according to Global Slavery Index 2016, India has the fourth-highest proportion of people living under enslaved conditions and is equivalent to the population of Netherlands.

On an average, 51 out of every 100 people are vulnerable to modern slavery – bonded labour, forced begging, forced marriage, domestic services and commercial sex work – in India, according to the Global Slavery Index 2016 compiled by the Walk Free Foundation, an advocacy based in Australia.

Earlier the programme was felicitated by NACWR president Asha Sanchu while opening prayer was made by DABA pastor. Welcome note was given by Dimapur DCPO-Pikato E Tuccu. Concluding remark was made by NACWR advisor K Ela while the closing prayer was made by Rector Good Shepherd Seminary, Dimapur-Fr Chacko Karinthayil.

The event was attended by prominent social workers, students, representatives from various NGOs and other civil and student bodies.