Karnataka - Bangalore

`Child labour is a social evil that has to be eradicated'

Special Correspondent

Prizes and certificates given to 45 children and teachers

PROUD WINNERS: Governor T.N. Chaturvedi with the winners of a State-level essay-writing and poster-making competition as part of the campaign against child labour, at the Raj Bhavan in Bangalore on Thursday. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

Bangalore: The event started with an invocation by eight former child workers, now rehabilitated by APSA and now in school. They were given certificates for rendering "namma hakkugalu" emphasising child rights.

Forty-five children and teachers were given prizes and certificates at the Raj Bhavan on Thursday by Governor T.N. Chaturvedi for participating in the State-level essay writing and poster-making competition organised by the International Labour Organisation-Karnataka Child Labour Project. More than 1,000 entries were received, a large number of them from schools in rural areas.

Director ILO-South Asia, Leyla Tegmo-Reddy, said it was also World Teacher's Day and that profession was important in keeping down the school dropout rate and indirectly the number of working children. "Teachers are key partners in doing away with child labour and their influence on students and parents makes a difference,'' she said.

Though many countries had signed the United Nations charter on child rights, they were yet to be enforced. This was why universal primary education had to remain a focus area and poverty not allowed to come in the way of children going to school, Ms. Tegmo-Reddy said.

The ILO had come up with the "decent work" concept which included quality jobs and decent income.

Principal Secretary (Labour) K. Jothiramalingam said though the State had an action plan to eradicate child labour by 2007, "this date may have to be extended''. However, a special rehabilitation fund had been created for children freed from hazardous occupations and 317 special schools set up for children who were earlier working. Makkala Mitra awards were being given to officials and organisations that helped in reducing the number of child workers. From October 10, the law against child domestic workers would also come into force. "Though there are laws and changes to laws being made, there has not been much media coverage or public debate on the issue of child labour,'' he said.

The Governor said policy makers and citizens had to address the serious reality of children being forced to work.

"It is a social evil that has to be eradicated and these efforts by young citizens will help," he added.

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