Srinagar, June 12: “Despite legislative measures and efforts by the governmental and non-governmental organisations, child labour remains prevalent across the country, particularly in rural and informal sectors,” Labour Commissioner, J&K, Charandeep Singh said on Wednesday.
He called for conducting extensive awareness campaigns, ensuring continuous monitoring and strict enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance with child labour laws besides swift interventions in cases of violations.
Singh was speaking at a virtual seminar organised by the Labour Department on the theme ‘Let’s Act On Our Commitments: End Child Labour’ to commemorate ‘World Day Against Child Labour’.
The seminar witnessed the participation of senior officers of Police, Labour, Social Welfare and Health Departments, Chairpersons and members of district Child Welfare Committees, members representing Juvenile Justice Boards, representatives of Child Line, Advocacy groups, Traders Federations and other stakeholders working in the field of Child Labour across all the districts of J&K.
Labour Commissioner in his address touched upon the theme emphasising the need for collective action to eradicate child labour and protect children from exploitation. “The abolition of Child Labour is enshrined in the Constitution besides Acts and laws have been enacted on the issue. Recently, India has ratified the two main conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) on Child Labour which mandate countries to take immediate effective measures to secure prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour as a matter of urgency,” he said.
Singh said the conventions also necessitated the fixing of minimum age for entry into work or employment besides the establishment of national policies for the elimination of child labour. “The enactment of Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 further strengthened the legal framework against child labour by expanding the prohibition of employment of children below 14 years in all occupations and processes, except where the child helps his family in non-hazardous occupations or sectors,” he added.
Detailed presentations on various topics were also made during the seminar with Assistant Labour Commissioner, Anantnag, Peer Zameer Ahmad, speaking on the topic ‘Child Labour Policies’, Assistant Labour Commissioner, Kupwara, Arshid Qadir on ‘Role of Statutory and Law Enforcement Bodies’ and Assistant Labour Commissioner, Udhampur, Sapna dwelling upon the role of various stakeholders in the eradication of Child Labour.
In his concluding remarks, the Labour Commissioner called for collective dedication towards eradicating child labour which “has been a dark stain on society, depriving countless children of their childhood and robbing them of the chance to receive an education and a better future”.
“By recognising the socio-economic factors that contribute to child labour, providing support and resources to vulnerable families, empowering them to overcome poverty and securing a better future for their children through commitment and collaborative initiatives can bring an end to this injustice,” the Commissioner maintained. He said the seminar was conducted to mobilise stakeholders and foster collaboration to create a world free from child labour.
Deputy Labour Commissioner, Jammu, Kashmir and Central, Inspector of Factories Jammu and Kashmir, Assistant Labour Commissioner, Labour Officers and Labour Inspectors of all districts participated in the seminar.
