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Members of Childline of Dimapur and its associate groups seen in an activity of advocacy on June 12 to mark World Day Against Child Labour, in Dimapur.[/caption]
Dimapur, June 12 (EMN): In commemoration of World Day Against Child Labour, Kohima district authorities has launched on June 12 a 'quick response team' as part of the district task force on child labour. The team was launched at the deputy commissioner’s office chamber on June 12 in Kohima.
The government's publicity agency the department of Information and Public Relations (IPR) offered updates on its bulletin on Wednesday.
World Day Against Child Labour is held every year on June 12. It aims at fostering a worldwide movement against child labour in any form.
The deputy commissioner of Kohima, Anoop Khinchi called upon the members of the team to act on the complaints promptly and to have a constructive action plan in conducting their operations.
The new team is stated to have given highlights about an action plan that shall be used to conduct rescue operations at garages, hotels and restaurants etc. Children found and rescued from any of these places will be produced before child welfare committees where further decision on their care and welfare will be taken, the IPR stated.
The subdivision police officer (north), M Yambemo Humtsoe said that the team has to carry out survey and identify areas before conducting rescue operations and to shoulder their tasks and responsibility as a team.
Another officer, subdivision officer (civil), Shaying Sheu, the chairman of the district quick response team, suggested including legal personnel in the team as their task involves matters of the law and legalities, the IPR added.
World Day Against Child Labour
June 12 is being observed across the nation as World Day Against Child Labour. Nongovernmental child welfare organisation Childline of Dimapur and its associate groups performed a street play at Super Market and Big Bazaar in Dimapur, updates on Wednesday stated.
"The street play was staged with the aim to educate people on child labour issues, and to say no to child Labour. Through the play, it was made to understand to the people how the practices of child labour have deprived children of their childhood and engaging a child in an economic activity is an illegal employment," the organisers said.
Also, the social activities committee of Unity College in Dimapur observed World Day Against Child Labour with the theme “children shouldn’t work in fields, but on dreams.”
Members of the committee and students went out to the streets to distribute flyers to publicise the adverse practice that is child labour and to educate the people on the necessity of sending children to school, updates stated.
In Longleng too, Mount Carmel School observed World Day Against Child Labour on June 12. The government's publicity agency the department of Information and Public Relations (IPR) offered updates about the Longleng event on its bulletin on Wednesday.
The program was organised by the Sakhi-One Stop Centre. The IPR stated that the main objective of the program was to publicise the plight of child labourers.
During the event, a counsellor of the centre Nyangyungsangla Phom was stated to have spoken about various international child rights and constitutional rights of the children.
Also, C Henchem Phom, the centre's administrator, highlighted the work and functions of the Sakhi-One Stop Centre, besides issues on women and rights, the IPR added.
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Another welfare group called the community educational centre society (CECS) observed World Day Against Child Labour in Dimapur. A press release from the group on Wednesday informed that the programme highlighted the "global extent" of child labour and the efforts that are required to eliminate it.
The CECS is an organisation advocating child rights and child protection, it stated.
Through the event, the group aimed to educate the people about the issue of child labour and to mobilise action to prevent child labour in any form. The CECS launched a poster campaign in the morning, the press release stated.
The programme included participation of around 50 marginalized children from various informal education for marginalized children centres (IEMCC) implemented by the CECS along with educational volunteers and CECS staff.
The group their campaign to the Dimapur taxi stand, railway station, auto rickshaw stand, Eros Lane and Golaghat road.
"The children along with the staffs while pasting the posters also sensitized the general public on the evils of child labour, joint effort to prevent any form of child labour and to protect children from all forms of exploitation," the updates stated.
The second part of the program was conducted at the community education centre school at Nagarjan in the afternoon, the press release stated. Sharon Longchari, additional deputy commissioner of Dimapur attended the event.
Subonenba Longkumer of the CECS was stated to have delivered the keynote address to the event. He highlighted the work of the organisation in the field of child labour since 2005 and the impact that its programs at different levels over the years.
Through its formal and non-formal educational programs, the NGO is reaching out to over 2000 children every day, he said. Through the IEMCC program, a total of 893 children were led to formal education in a period of four years, the press release stated.
In her speech, Sharon Longchari stressed on the prevailing situation concerning child labour in the Naga society and the state as a whole.
'Despite huge changes and developments taking place, the status of child labour has not changed and it continues to exist,' she said. She asserted the necessity to teach and train children on life skills for their future.
'However, there should be a line drawn when there is violation of child rights.'
Longchari stressed that every child should enjoy their childhood and should have the freedom to dream and build a better and brighter future. She acknowledged the CECS for its work in the area of child labour over the years and providing the children with the opportunity and privilege for a better life.
The administrator said that the government, various organisations and individuals have been working tirelessly to address the issue of child labour. Longchari urged people to collectively work to eliminate child labour from the society.
The officer handed over clothes to teachers of the IEMC centres donated as part of CSR activity by Future Group, Big Bazaar, SKC Foundation at Mumbai. The donation was distributed to around 700 children from various IEMC centres, the updates stated.
Choreography, action songs, skit and music were performed by children from the centres, the press release added.