World Day Against Child Labour 'Act now: End Child Labour'
Importance of strict implementation of Child Rights Act deliberated
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 12 2021: A Webinar cum Online Awareness Programme on World Day Against Child Labour 'Act now: End Child Labour' was conducted by District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Imphal West for the Legal Services functionaries viz.

Panel Advocates, PLVs and other participants from CSOs, Leikai Club members and the general public today through Jitsi Meet platform.

A Guneshwar Sharma, MJS, District and Sessions Judge, Imphal West and Chairperson of DLSA, Imphal West delivered the keynote address followed by the topical lecture by Irengbam Lenibala Devi, Panel Advocate of DLSA Imphal West.

Y Somorjit Singh, MJS, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal West shared his views to supplement the main lecture by the resource person.

Later a brief interactive session was also held.

The awareness programme was organised to give effect to the effort to "appropriately respond to the legal needs of people with workable Legal Aid strategies and programmes" during the pandemic induced lockdown, as directed by Manipur State Legal Services Authority (MASLSA) in response to NALSA's directive to all State Legal Services Authorities.

It may be noted that since normal functioning of its office has been restricted and physical programmes have not been possible due to the lockdown, MASLSA along with all DLSAs have been organising various online activities to continue to spread awareness and provide all possible legal services even during the pandemic.

In today's webinar, the resource person dealt with the theme "Act Now: End Child Labour" from multiple perspectives along with the main legal perspective.

She stressed on how child labour is mostly forceful and unreasonable exploitation of children as victims of child trafficking, bonded labour, domestic help, factory workers etc and also explained poverty, unemployment and lack of education as the main reasons for child labour and gave examples of child labour in the local context of Manipur and ways to tackle the problem in the state.

Some of the measures the speaker recommended are to strictly implement the existing laws in terms of the minimum age for employment of children, maximum hours of work and health and safety of working children.

She referred to various provisions of the law with regard to child labour enlisted in the Constitution.

She called for vigilance and awareness from the general public and to actively report any suspected cases of child labour by filing a written complaint at the nearest police station or through the PENCIL portal (www.

pencil.gov.in), a dedicated portal to end child labour from the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Govt of India.

The speaker asserted strongly that strict implementation of the Right to Education Act, which provides for every child within the age of 6-14 years to free and compulsory education, can be a strong force against child labour and urged that all States must take immediate and urgent action to eliminate the increasing crime of child labour.

The Secretary of DLSA Imphal West and the Chairperson of DLSA, Imphal West both shared their views on the local contexts of child labour and the legal complicacies of child labour cases especially in the context of child trafficking.

There was a brief interactive session in which representatives from a few CSO/NGOs voiced their misgivings in the lack of enthusiasm towards implementation of child labour laws by the authorities/departments concerned.

The right collective approach to effectively deal with child labour was also discussed by the participants after the perspective of DLSA through various roles of legal services functionaries in combating child labour were reiterated.

Senapati
The District Legal Services Authority, Senapati also observed World Day against Child Labour with the inmates of the children home of CCM, Karong and Kanglatongbi through online today under the aegis of MASLSA.

Koshia Mao, Additional Public Prosecutor to District and Sessions Court Senapati elaborated on the theme 'Act Now, End Child Labour' and stressed on the importance of education in children and their rights.

She also briefed about Child Helpline number 1098.An interaction program was also carried out with the inmates of the children homes as a part of the programme.

Samom Ibjen, chairman of DLSA Senapati, Ashem Tarunakumari Devi, secretary of DLSA Senapati and S Marysena, Retainer Lawyer of Front Office DLSA Senapati also participated in the programme.

Comment