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Campaign Activities
From Work to School Campaign to start on 6th October 2006
The recent notification coming into effect on October 10th will remain a toothless tiger until action is taken to implement the law by the authorities concerned- the labour department, the police and a sensitised society. At the same time, awareness must be generated among the public about the new law and the ban to employ children in homes and dhabas/restaurants etc.
It is with this view that BBA is planning a month long campaign in New Delhi, Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh starting from October 6th, 2006.
AWARENESS WEEK
(06- 13 October 06) |
MOBILISATION WEEK
(14 - 21 October 06)
|
ACTION WEEK
(22 - 28 October 06) |
FOLLOW-UP WEEK
(29 Oct. - 03 Nov. 06) |
House-to-house, person-to-person awareness is essential to end child domestic labour. Awareness activities involve
Campaign on wheels (FREEDOM CARAVAN)
Public demonstrations
Involvement of print and electronic media
Sticker campaign with the distribution of “This Home is Child Labour Free” sticker to lead not only to raise awareness but also to act as positive reinforcement.
Emphasis would be on the recent notification under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, which has banned child domestic labour and child labour in service industry. From 10 October 2006, employing child domestics below 14 years of age is a CRIME |
Activities envisaged:
Post Awareness week, from 10th October 2006, people would be encouraged to file complaints on the employment of underage children as domestic helps or child labourers in service industry.
Child participation is at the core of our campaign. Student volunteers, former child labourers, and other children will be leading the way of campaign activities.
By educating children on the issue, we can educate their parents, communities, and the society as a whole.
Mass picketing would also be done in areas identified as prone to child labour and where child domestic labour is prevalent. |
Activities envisaged:
Following complaints and reports of child labourers especially child domestic labourers and children working in roadside dhabas, tea-stalls, etc., the direct action week would see large-scale rescue, withdrawal and repatriation of child labourers.
Liaise with the government and concerned departments for rehabilitation and repatriation of the rescued child labourers under the appropriate laws.
It is imperative that children who work in conditions that are life threatening, physically or psychologically disabling, morally degrading or which are detrimental to their physical or moral integrity must be removed and rehabilitated as top priority. |
Follow-up through socio-economic rehabilitation, reintegration and education of children is integral to the success of any child labour elimination strategy. The government must create the trust and optimism in society that elimination of child labour is achievable! |
Freedom Caravan
Freedom Caravan is a folk team of 8 children who perform plays, skits etc. and move around the community to build awareness against child labour and other social evils. These former child labourers weave their plays and skits around their own experiences to effectively deliver the message to the village folk. Their stories not only prevent potential child labour in the villages and promote education, but also deliver hope that a bright life beyond servitude exists for the scores of children trapped in servitude.
Freedom Caravan, a mobile van would do rounds in the localities of Delhi raising awareness on the problem of child domestic labour and the latest ban coming into effect on 10th October 2006. Corner meetings will be held at several places in the capital city to raise awareness. Hotspots like Mongolpuri and Yamunapar which are the sources for child labour in the city on the one hand and Vasant Kunj, Defence Colony which are the areas where they are mainly employed will be covered by the Freedom Caravan. The Caravan will have a theatre troupe of 8 members who will spread the word through their plays and skits.
Meetings are on with Resident Welfare Associations to join the fight against child domestic labour and to make their RWAs child domestic labour free. All RWAs are invited to join BBA in its efforts to remove children from domestic help and in dhabas/restaurants cafes etc within their precincts.
Freedom Caravan in other states
With the support of PVR Nest of PVR Cinemas, the Mukti Caravan will travel from New Delhi to Mumbai covering a distance of 1400 km spreading the message on the law and banning child labour in homes and dhabas/restaurants as it covers the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. This awareness drive would target the roadside dhabas that are present across the highway from Delhi to Mumbai.
BBA partners with PVR Cinemas for ‘From Work to School’ campaign
PVR Cinemas’s PVR Nest has joined hands with BBA to support the From Work to School Campaign. With this initiative, PVR Nest aims to create child friendly PVRs, i.e. to ensure that children are not employed in any of the businesses within its premises as well as the surrounding areas. This is in sync with BBA’s objective to build a child friendly society where no child is engaged in child labour and all are in school.
On the 6th October, “From Work to School” Campaign will be launched at PVR Priya Cinema, New Delhi in the esteemed presence of Mahesh Bhatt, film doyen and a noted social activist. Mahesh Bhatt would launch a poster besides exhorting the public to not employ children as domestic help in their homes. Sanjeev Kumar Bijli, the Executive Director of PVR would explain the PVR Cinemas social initiatives. Ashraf, the lodestar of BBA’s child domestic labour campaign would also be present for the program. School and college students who have become a part of the campaign through BBA’s college and school initiative would also lend their support for the cause.
The Mukti caravan team will perform in the premises before the general public. Children of PVR Nest’s Childscapes would also perform along with the Mukti Caravan team. Later, the caravan will be flagged off for its tour to the residential areas of the city.
Peer Sensitization
Youth is the backbone of any social movement. They are the best advocates for their peers. To bring them into the fold of the campaign is thus a natural outcome. BBA’s young team has vigorously many colleges in Delhi have pledged their support to the cause. Several students from these colleges have come forward to volunteer their spare time to eliminate child labour in their vicinity.
The following are some of the responses obtained from some students.
“It is necessary to make the country aware of the bad plight of children in different exploitative forms of labour. Please tell the country of the people who are in bad condition. Enlighten whole country”
“I will keep up a watch on child labour in my neighbourhood. And I shall report to the police and will participate in your awareness campaign to make others like me aware.”
“We want to make a team of youngsters who will fight for children. I am really sure that with your wonderful work of generating awareness, a huge number of youngsters would join your movement”
“It is just an excellent job, so keep going. You are all saving the future of our nation and we are proud of you”
BBA activits have conducted 11 workshops in various departments of 6 colleges (Khalsa Evening, Deshbandhu College, Zakir Hussain College, Institute of Home Economics, Jamia Miliya Islamiya, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar College)
Peer Sensitization - Report (pdf)
Expression of Child Rights by college students during the intercollege competition |
