New Delhi
12th May, 2010

Kinshu speaking during the Global Child Labour Conference Photo credits: Tycho Müller / Tycho's Eye Photography

Kailash Satyarthi, Founder, Bachpan Bachao Andolan speaking on the issue of Trafficking for Forced Labour Photo credits: Tycho Müller / Tycho's Eye Photography

N. M. Adyanthaya, President, INTUC Photo credits: Tycho Müller / Tycho's Eye Photography

Kinshu with  Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands - Photo credits: Tycho Müller / Tycho's Eye Photography

At 7, Kinsu Kumar was a car cleaner and collected money for his father’s business. At 14, he met Dutch queen Beatrix, was interviewed by the German television and het Jeugdjournaal, a Dutch news show.

In last seven years of his stay in Bal Ashram (Bachpan Bachao Andolan’s rehabilitation cum training centre, catering to the needs of rescued child labourers for a decade), Kinsu has transformed from the victim of child labour to a change agent who criticized the actions taken by International Governments on the issue of child labour.  Kinsu is participating in The Hague Global Child Labour Conference as a representative of more than 60 million children who do not have a childhood and toil in atrocious working conditions.

The Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, in close collaboration with the ILO (and in cooperation with UNICEF and the World Bank), organized this global conference on child labour in The Hague with an aim to step up the efforts to deliver the commitment of a world free of the worst forms of child labour by 2016. The international conference which has more than 80 countries participating comes 10 years after the coming into force of ILO Convention 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour (WFCL) in year 2000, the most widely-ratified international labour convention, and is 6 years ahead of the global target of eliminating the worst forms of Child Labor (WFCL).

Kinsu was critical and about the conference and  said, “Meetings keep happening and plans keep getting made but there should be more practical action at grassroots level. Child trafficking is on a rise. So the action should be done right there: in the villages. Every child should be given the opportunity to study and play in his own village. All children have the right to education.” He also stressed “If children are educated, they can make other choices and spend a better life. If we all show will-power, the world can end child labour.”He also met Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and shared his experience and views.

The International Labour Office (ILO) has also launched a new Global report entitled “Accelerating action against child labour” to assess the progress made in the global campaign against child labour and lays out the challenges that remain if the goal of eliminating the worst forms of child labour by 2016 is to be achieved. It also points out a disturbing fact that the highest number of children working as bonded labourers exist in Asia Pacific.

Kailash Satyarthi, the chair of the Global March against Child Labour, shared his experiences of the conference and said, “Child labour has disappeared from the agenda in many countries. Less time and money are being dedicated to eliminating it. This year’s conference is crucial to rekindling interest in child labour at national and international levels. Child labour is a social, economic, political and cultural phenomenon. Its eradication is reliant on a very strong global movement, not a scattering of projects in a few countries.”

Giving interview German television and het Jeugdjournaal, a Dutch news show Photo credits: Pieter Glerum

http://www.childlabourconference2010.com/

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More About Kinshu

14 year old Kinshu  Kumar is an icon in his village. For last five years, he has been topping his school exams. Kinshu, who used to work as car cleaner with his father is the brightest student in Bal Ashram.

Kinshu was born on 4th July, 1995 at Purikatra, Laldegi Mohalla in district Mirzapur of Uttar Pradesh. His village lacks basic facilities. Purikatra is a dirty slum surrounded by an open drain with sewage and garbage littered all around. The atmosphere is not conducive and is especially unhealthy for young children.

Kinshu started working at a tender age of six. He had always wanted to go to school but the poor family could not afford it. Kinshu’s father came in contact with Bachpan Bachao Andolan during the Education march organized by BBA in 2001. He realized his children will have a future only if they are well educated.

BBA was successful in withdrawing him from child labour and he was brought to Bal Ashram in Virat Nagar, Rajasthan. The boy showed profound interest in education. After initial six months in Ashram, he was enrolled in near by public school. He completed his 8th standard. Presently, he is studying in Government higher secondary school, Virat Nagar and has just completed his 9th grade.

Kinshu wants to become an engineer. He is also a very good cricketer and theatre artist. He helps younger children in studies and self esteem building. He has also proved his skills in leadership, joining several campaigns against child labour and for school enrollment. Besides this, his participation has been phenomenal in withdrawing children from the vicious circle of child labour.

Kinshu has travelled to United States testifying in an important congressional hearing. He has also spoken in a high level panel on education at European Union (EU). He participated along with several world leaders including Godorn Brown and the President of World Bank.