Pune: Anticipating possible threats to child labourers especially during the nationwide lockdown imposed due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Pune's Action for Rights (ARC) along with Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL) and other associates from across the country have announced to conduct a survey on child labour and their situation on the occasion of National Anti-Child Labour Day observed on April 30.
The members of the organisations held an online video conference meeting on Thursday, where they discussed the possible vulnerabilities posed by children who are a victim of child labour, stated Convenor of ARC, Pune and CACL, Maharashtra Manish Shroff.
Against the backdrop of a recent incident reported about a twelve-year-old girl Jamalo Madkam walking three days from her workplace in Telangana to her village in Chhattisgarh, Shroff said, "There have been many more cases, and visuals showed children carrying heavy bags and walking home for many kilometres with adults."
The activists stated that the COVID-19 and the lockdown is no excuse for amnesty to prosecution against the violators of child labour law.
This is the time for increased vigilance and enhanced measures to protect children from labour, abuse, and exploitation. If the employers of children have abandoned them and not taking care of them during the lockdown, then, they are committing the second offense of negligence and cannot be allowed to go scot-free. In such a situation, the government through the labour department, child welfare committees, and/or Childline should take charge of these children and care for them, stated an official release issued by the organisations.
They have also stated that it is already anticipated that COVID-19 will drive more children to labour. "Children are already at a greater risk of entering labour or being trafficked as the schools are closed, and there is a lockdown. Another possibility we are assuming is, since there might be job losses, these children will be pulled in child labour," said Shroff.
Hence, the organisations have demanded greater vigilance and stringent action against the violators of child labour laws. It also asked for sensitive and empathetic support to affected children.
Shroff also told Sakal Times, "The number of child labourers at industry or factory level has decreased over the years due to strict norms and regulations mentioned in their Acts. However, as there is relaxation of work in a family enterprise, we are assuming there can be an increase in child labour at this level."
