08-08-2015 - 15-08-2015 | Venue: Tamilnadu
Campaign against the Amendment Bill of the Child Labour Act
Campaign against the Amendment Bill of the Child Labour Act (11th –15th June)
A planning meeting for the observation of World Day against child labour was convened by TNCRO and CACL on 8th June 2015. NGOs came together under the banner of TamilNadu Child Rights Observatory (TNCRO) and Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL – TN and P) to work against any attempt to regulate and recognize child labour through this Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill 2012. A campaign against the Amendment Bill of the Child Labour Act was planned from 11th – 20th June.
Civil Society organisations and people’s movements across the state assembled in Chennai on 11th June 2015 to voice their concerns against the proposed amendments to the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986 expressing fears that the amendment would further dilute the fragile legal provisions for children who work. The cabinet nod to the proposed amendments is in total violation of UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) ratified by the Government of India on 11th December 1992.
The KEY RECOMMENDATIONS / CONCERNS of the civil society groups were
• Child Labour should be totally prohibited and not regulated – No special clause or exemptions be allowed in the name of social fabric
• The explanation of hazardous and non-hazardous has no meaning as any work is meant to be hazardous to the educational progress of the child.
• India should withdraw its condition on Child labour expressed while ratifying UNCRC 23 years ago.
• Local Bodies should be empowered and sufficiently funded to address the child labour issues at the local level.
• Ensuring all children in school is the only way to address child labour issue. Ensuring free, qualitative and equitable education at the neighbourhood is a prerogative in achieving this. Hence the government should bring in Children from 0 to 18 years within the ambit of right to education
A video clipping was prepared by the ARUWYE Resource Team to create awareness about the amendment proposed to the Child labor Act Bill. The Video clipping was screened in FMA schools and centres. Parents and Teachers expressed their opposition by signing the petition.
Representatives of Civil Societiy, Tncro Child Rights and Cacl Tamilnadu Pudhucherry called on His Excellency the Governor of TamilNadu om 12th July to submit 139151 signatures against the approval of the central government to allow child labor in family enterprises and audio visual industry.
On 12th June 2015, on the World Day against Child Labour, Press meet was organized as part of the Campaign against the amendment bill on Child Labour and Child Rights (in Tamil) in Kalaignar TV in the Vidiyale Vaa Programme. at 8. 00 am IST.
On 15th a rally was organized in Marina Beach for the children to express their opposition against such amendment. 250 children from various institution participated in the rally. Children also posted 1,50,000 postcards to Prime Minister expressing their opposition to the amendment.
