Kids plead to ban child labour in line with RTE Act

BHUBANESWAR: “Ban all forms of child labour till age of 14 years in line with Right to Education Act”  was the demand submitted by children at the State level Children’s Interface with legislators on “State and Accountability to Children” organised by ‘Save the Children’ and its partners SOVA, PECUC, RARE, CCWD and AAINA. About 50 children from Koraput, Sonepur, Keonjhar, Khordha and Kandhamal participated in the Interface at the Pantha Nivas here on Saturday and Sunday.

Bharati Chakra from ‘Save the Children’ presented an overview of her organisation and its partners’ work to bring changes in the lives of children in Odisha demanding, “Since Right to Education Act vows to provide education opportunity to all children between 6 and 14 years of age, why not ban all forms of child labour in the State up to 14 years in line with RTE and provide a space for children to speak and adults to listen and act in all decisions that affect children’s lives?” 

Speaking to the children, Nilagiri MLA Pratap Sarangi emphasised the importance and ability of questioning and PCC president Niranjan Pattanaik asked children to become good human beings and serve the needy. Other guests in the panel who interacted with the children included Arabinda Dhali,  Arun Sahu, Anjali Behera, Panchanan Kanungo, Gourishankar Praharaj,  Souribandhu Kar and Ratha Das. The interface was chaired by PECUC Secretary Ranjan Mohanty. CCWD secretary Sadasiv Swain presented vote of thanks.

Krushna, a child from Acharya Vihar slums, Bhubaneswar and Ujjayini from Keonjhar presented at the interface on behalf of all children a charter of demands which included ban all forms of shild labour up to 14 yrs of age in line with the RTE Act, providing textbooks at the beginning of education year, ensuring proper implementation of the RTE Act - no corporal punishment, no admission fees, appropriate number of teachers, enough class rooms and learning materials, ensuring Anganwadi centre in each village, ensuring proper implementation of Integrated Child Protection Scheme, ensuring appropriate budgeting in order to ensure child rights for proper implementation of RTE and ICPS, ensuring proper nutrition and proper immunization for all children and ensuring child participation by providing for institutional space for children to participate in all decisions affecting their rights.