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| Children are the present…their voice is the future |
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Once again, the children have proved that they are the leaders of today. They have all the courage and spirit to question those in power, and they have enough wisdom and vision to provide solution to many of the problems which adult think are complicated. More importantly, these children have emerged as icons of hope, rising from the most wretched conditions- former child slaves, victims of trafficking; physically, mentally and sexually exploited; socially excluded and oppressed. These children joined hands with a few committed youth leaders in the Second Children’s World Congress on Child Labour and Education organised by Global March Against Child Labour and hosted by Bachpan Bachao Andolan from 4-8th September 2005 in New Delhi. |
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| Raid & Rescue Operations |
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Real Hero
I salute Waib. He is the real hero. His courage and conviction is unprecedented. Born in the remote village of Pipradi, in one of the most backward states of India, Bihar, with no road and electricity, he is a victim of trafficking. He was trafficked along with several other children to Delhi by a labour recruiter on the pretext that he would be given a good education and good life. Later, he would be trained in some trade to send money back home. But, he was brought to a 12x18 feet room crowded with several other children engaged in needlework and embroidery. Life for these children was confined to this small room, their living room, sleeping room and work place. One day while crying for his mother, Waib was beaten up mercilessly by the employer. Not able to take any further punishments, Waib ran away and told the truth to the world. Waib is only 8 years old. Based on his story and information, we coordinated with different agencies to conduct a secret raid and rescue operation, which lead to the liberation of 29 children who were working in that zari export unit on 6th June 2005. |
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| Education:
A Cross Cutting Issue |
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Tsunami
waves have brought the worst in
the lives of thousands of people.
Over one hundred and fifty thousand
people dead and thousands of others
whose lives have been affected by
this disaster. The silver lining
in this grim situation is however,
that a huge tide of sympathy and
help came forth from all corners
of the world. Since more tangible
cooperation efforts are being designed
in the form of long term rehabilitation
programmes for Tsunami victims,
it adds up to the value of development
cooperation in a new dimension.
It is also a sign that despite a
strong market driven materialistic
culture, the humane component is
still a strong element in our societies
even today. We can also hope for
a better tomorrow for children by
empowering them through education
and learning. There are several
bottlenecks in achieving Education
For All goals which the international
community has pledged to, but one
cannot deny that while civil society
is getting vocal and stronger, governments
are being compelled to bring education
into the global political agenda
and above all the demand for Education
as a basic human right is emerging
fast from the masses which needs
to be catered to. The Global March
Against Child Labour and the Global
Campaign for Education have been
long advocating for the recognition
of education as a fundamental human
right for all people and that education
be addressed as one of the key features
or components of development. February
1, 2005 |
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| Development
Destitution |
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Development is the buzzword today.
There is no dearth of information
on modern development paradigms,
policies and effects across the
globe. The materialistic age of
development has been converted into
a market driven digital age, where
the humane component in terms of
feelings and external relationships
is being crystallised in digits,
powered with data and information.
The fate of mankind is being determined
by information, speed and a profit
motive.
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| Children
Set Another Milestone! |
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The
Global March is once again overwhelmed
with the monumental success of the
Children's World Congress, Florence.
Though we were all angry at the
imposed absence of many of our young
child participants from Africa and
Asia, the strong vibrant and passionate
voice of the children who participated
as well as the committed response
from the adults lifted our spirits
and hopes and brought forth unprecedented
enthusiasm and encouragement towards
a better future for the children
the world over. June
15, 2004
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| Another
denial of child participation! |
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I
will be on my way to Florence, in
a few hours time. There are many
loose ends to tie at the last moment
and amidst all this mad rush, I
cannot but stop myself from sharing
my deep anguish with you. In less
than a week's time, we would be
participating in Children's World
Congress on Child Labour. But even
then my heart and soul would still
be with those 200 children and dozens
of child activists and my distinguished
colleagues, who had been deprived
of their right to be with us in
Florence. Theirs is a blatant violation
of human rights and child rights
in particular. It is an assault
on the emotions and enthusiasm,
hopes and dreams of those children
by none other than the democratically
elected government of Italy. The
Italian authorities have behaved
in an extremely dictatorial, racial
and discriminatory manner to stop
those children from coming at the
last minute. Is it not a cruel mockery
that they decline to issue visas
to the young children under the
pretext of security or the fear
of their settling down in that European
country? Permission has been granted
only to 25 children and above 14
years of age from entire Africa,
Asia, some parts of Latin America
and Middle East. Ironically the
restriction was not for children
from non-visa countries like Europe
and most of the regions of America
to Italy. April 24,
2004 |
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| Road
to Freedom |
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Three successive days of
rescue action - 27th, 28th and 29th
January 2004
27th
January 2004 was another triumphant
day for South Asian Coalition on
Child Servitude (SACCS) / Bachpan
Bachao Andolan (BBA), the partner
organisation of Global March Against
Child Labour in India. Maya Tamang,
an 11-year-old girl was released
on that day; she was so happy to
return home. It was sheer delight
to watch her face beaming with joy
and exultation She has regained
her natural smile – she cannot
be forced to smile as it used to
happen while performing in the circus.
Now, Maya's dream is to go to school
just like her younger brother and
her friends. Eight more children
would laugh and play as they were
liberated along with her from various
circuses in New Delhi, India. March
24, 2004 |
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| How
to make ‘another world’
possible? |
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It
was a great experience to watch
the powerful upsurge of the civil
society and the excitement, enthusiasm,
determination and hopes of several
thousands of people at the World
Social Forum. The loud chants of
young and the old alike, the huge
banners displayed by the activists,
the jangling of anklets of the dancing
‘Adivasis’ (tribals)
attired in colourful dresses, Dalits
(‘the untouchables’
of India), peasants, workers, migrants
and the development institutions,
the anti-globalisation forces, former
child slaves, the disabled, victims
of child abuse and gender atrocities
and many more from all over the
world provided ample evidence of
Mumbai brimming with strong emotions. January 18, 2004 |
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| If
not now, then when? And if not you,
then who? |
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It’s been a long time since
I have spoken to you in my column.
But this gap had been full of challenges,
excitements, thrills and achievements.
Let me start with Mirkee with whom
I am sitting along with other people.
It’s a joyous experience to
watch the changing emotions flit
across this beautiful girl’s
face. She’s like an open book
and her varying expressions tell
us a story-- - the story of transition
from slavery to a new life of freedom.
When she smiles, her face lights
up and it is apparent that she is
taking her first step towards freedom
and belief in others. Decemeber
18, 2003 |
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| Bonded
Labour and Slavery |
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Representing
three generations of slavery, Anta
(7), Narayani (30) and Tipu (62)
felt a piece of paper for the first
time in their lives. They had never
been in a room with electric lamps
and fans nor had they ever tasted
a gulab jamun (a common Indian sweet)
until then. Looking at the state
of several released labourers, I
could not help wondering whether
we were still living in the medieval
age or in a nation advanced in nuclear
power and a frontrunner in information
technology. I am talking about the
sordid plight of 101 bonded labourers,
including children, women and men
who were speaking to the media after
their release from the hilly region
of Bhiwani district in Haryana,
a northern state of India. What
a shame! On one hand we talk of
technology and on the other we see
people craving for their basic rights
and freedom. August
25, 2003 |
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| Message
of Peace |
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It
is exciting! It is encouraging!
It is historical! It brings enormous
hope for the future. And it is not
just an ordinary demonstration but
a mass quest for peace. The past
weeks have witnessed millions of
people on the streets around the
world, with protests and slogans
to stop the war. There were grandparents
holding the fingers of their grandchildren
on one hand and a peace placard
in another, the parents of September
11 victims and the children of martyrs
of the Second World War who turned
to peace activists, expressing their
serious concerns against war. March
04, 2003 |
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| Kailash
Satyarthi Condemns Exploitation of
Girls |
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Turning
down of the children’s bill
by the legislators of the Nigerian
Parliament, a month ago, is not
a big surprise for me. The progressive
legislation for the protection of
the rights of the children could
not be passed because the popular
sentiment was against raising the
marriageable age limit of girls.
Traditionally, child marriage is
a common practice in some parts
of the world including Nigeria,
which condemns millions of young
girls to a life of misery and pain.
In the name of culture, this retrogressive
inhuman and anti-women practice
is based on the patriarchal attitude,
which always considers women as
mere commodities and not as human
beings. Some men think age is no
bar and that they are entitled to
marry any number of women. Thus
they are always on the lookout for
a pretty young girl for marriage,
who must be out of the shadow of
any other male in her life. Hence,
in most cases, women and girls are
treated inferior and subordinate
to men. Their role just becomes
one of childbearing and house keeping. January 06, 2003 |
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