The unspoken face of Children’s Day

Imtinaro Longkumer  
Kohima | November 13

Ahead of Children’s Day, November 14, a day marked to celebrate childhood, parents were seen buying gifts for their young while organizations held events and activities for students. The darker fact however remains that there is a section of children in the society left ignored, unseen and unattended to, to celebrate their existence.

These downtrodden children, instead of cheerfully making plans with friends and family, excitedly longing for the school picnic or eagerly waiting for surprise gifts, least aware, are busy cleaning hotel tables, serving costumers, selling vegetables, collecting rags or working at homes as domestic helpers.

As proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1954, children’s day was declared to encourage all countries to institute a day to promote mutual exchange and understanding among children, initiate benefiting actions and to promote their welfare. Despite the UN declaration, according to UNICEF, there is an estimated 250 million children aged two to seventeen in child labor worldwide, excluding child domestic labor.

Talking of child labor, Nagaland too has a good number in directly or indirectly promoting it, with a larger number in the form of domestic helpers while others are in hotels, market places and so on.

 According to the Labor department, Nagaland, the state figures more than 10,000 child laborers, with Dimapur at the maximum with around 5,000; Kohima and Mokokchung has about 2,000. Labor Department Project Officer Yanger Aier said the exact figure of child laborers in the state cannot be ascertained as most of them are in the form of domestic helpers. Many of the employers do no cooperate with the department.

Nagas have a habit of keeping domestic helpers at home, where many presume that ‘they’ are doing good with the downtrodden child but the fact remains that “we” are sapping the prime time of an individual. While on the other hand, this ‘habit’ also has contributed substantially in the increase in child-trafficking and domestic violence, out of which many cases go unreported. 

When queried, on his knowledge of children’s day, a ten year old child, who was busy selling vegetables in a local market hastily responded that he doesn’t know what it is. During the brief interaction, it was made known that he had to leave school due to poverty.  Like this ten year old that is least aware of the day and is also involved in labor for survival, there are many children who are deprived and denied of their basic rights.  

On children’s day, when ‘fortunate children’ enjoy privileges, many others may be abused or even pass the day unaware that it is their day to celebrate.  Taking into account this day and owing to its significance, it will be healthier if we all also try to bring a difference into the lives of underprivileged children by doing something special for them.

Fortunate ones can be reminded of their good fortune and privileges they have, and also that there are children who are barely with food, clothes and shelter, so that every child feels ‘special’ and childhood can be cherished by all.
 



Support The Morung Express.
Your Contributions Matter
Click Here