World Day against Child Labour 2019 observed at Assisi Centre
Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 8
The 100th year of ‘World Day against Child Labour 2019' was commemorated today by Assisi Centre for Integrated Development (ACID) cum National Domestic Workers Movement – Nagaland Region in collaboration with Dimapur District Legal Services Authority (DDLSA) at Assisi Auditorium, Lake View Colony Dimapur.
Established by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on June 12, 1919; this year marks its centenary under the theme “Children should not work in fields, but on their dreams.”
Highlighting issues of children, Collab Director Childline Dimapur, K Ela asserted that everyone has a role to protect children from any kind of abuse, exploitation, torture and any kind of violation.
She was speaking as one of the resource persons at the programme. Ela said that all children deserve to be “loved and protected.”
She went on to point out that children are living in a hostile environment which is the biggest concern, and that today, many of them are not able to work on their dreams because “the situation, environment doesn’t permit them to work on their dreams.”
Reiterating that everywhere, “right from the home to the school, locality and to the streets,” children are not safe and the places not child friendly, Ela encouraged the parents to be aware, alarmed and be alert to protect their children from all kinds of violence.
Resource person DDLSA, Abemo Ngullie briefed on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012. He advocated for the rights of children, to be aware of their own rights and urged parents to be more aware and protective of their children.
Ngullie highlighted the main factors of the Act which include a comprehensive law to provide for protection of children from the offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography, while safeguarding the interest of the child at every stage of the judicial process.
The offender can be imprisoned for 3 to 10 years or even imprisonment for life, where a person was awarded imprisonment for life this year, Ngullie disclosed.
He also urged parents to discuss sex education with their children, stating sexual offences against children was not decreasing but instead increasing. Ngullie informed the children and parents gathered that the DDLSA was here to give full assistance.
Meanwhile, DDLSA, CJM Ajonba Imchen elaborated on Article 21 (A) in the Constitution of India to provide free and compulsory education to all children in the age group of six to fourteen years as a Fundamental Right in such a manner as the State may, by law, determine.
The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which represents the consequential legislation envisaged under Art 21 (A) means that every child has a right to full time elementary education of satisfactory and equitable quality in a Government aided school, which satisfies certain essential norms and standards, he added.
Imchen encouraged the children and parents to know about their rights and asked them to come together to protect their rights and look forward for change in the society, “which starts with us.”
Assistant Labour Commissioner, Dimapur W Tamwang Konyak, as the special invitee at the programme also asked parents not to encourage children to labour, just to earn a few more money. Reiterating that “education is the way,” the Commissioner encouraged parents to “have faith that your child will become something.”
The programme highlighted special presentations from CRM children. Vote of thanks was delivered by Pramila Lobo, Director ACID.
