In Delhi, a unique event took place called a “Baal Panchayat” or Children’s Parliament. This noteworthy event was organized by the Kailash Satyarthi’s Children’s Foundation to coincide with the World Day Against Child Labour. The children who participated in this parliament presented a charter of demands that they wanted to express to the Indian government.
The State of Child Labour in India
According to data from Census 2011, most of the child labourers in India are employed for agricultural and related activities. Globally too, this is a prevalent trend where 71% of child labour is concentrated in the agricultural sector.
World Day Against Child Labour
The World Day Against Child Labour is celebrated every year on June 12. Its primary aim is to attract global attention towards the widespread presence of child labour and motivate efforts to eliminate it. The International Labour Organization (ILO) launched this initiative in 2002. The theme for the World Day Against Child labour in 2019 was “Children shouldn’t work in fields but on dreams.”
Sustainable Development Goals and Child Labour
In 2015, world leaders adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which included a renewed global commitment to eradicate child labour. Specifically, Target 8.7 of the SDG mandates the international community to take immediate and effective measures to abolish forced labour and end modern slavery.
| Goal | Description |
|---|---|
| Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all |
| Target 8.7 | Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms. |
ILO Convention and India
India has ratified six out of eight core/fundamental conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). These include the Forced Labour Convention (1930), Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (1957), Equal Remuneration Convention (1951), Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention (1958), Minimum Age Convention (1973), and Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (1999).
However, India hasn’t yet ratified two critical conventions – Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention (1948) and Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention (1949). These conventions are instrumental in ensuring a holistic approach towards fighting and eliminating child labour. As it stands, the legal groundwork for moving ahead in this direction seems set, but implementation and enforcement are the key challenges that need to be addressed.
