Adonis Diaries

Tough child labour law NOT a priority? 5 year-old and already a slave…

India is the world’s child labour capital.  

Kids as young as 5 are sold to traffickers and forced to work as modern-day slaves. The slave kids are abused and beaten. The Indian historic new bill would ban outright any child labour under 14 and all harmful work for under 18s, and provide stipends for poor families to keep their children in school. And enshrining the right to free education and proposing stipends to compensate any losses.

MPs have let it fall off their agenda, and Indian child rights groups say they badly need world community help, now, to ramp up the public pressure.

Jamie Choi of Avaaz.org posted:

The Indian Parliament is closing without passing the toughest child labour law in its history. The bill is supported by the majority of MPs, but was sitting there for weeks, because they felt it was not a ‘priority’!

A staggering 215 million children work in mines, quarries, and factories around the world.

Almost All nations have signed an agreement to put the eradication of child labour at the heart of their national education plans.

India is still slow to converge and is home to the largest child labour force in the world. 

Critics say the real problem isn’t the law, it’s bad enforcement.

And it’s true that in the last 3 years in India less than 10% of the 450,000 reports of child labour were prosecuted under the existing weak law. But the new law packs some serious punch.

The police will no longer have to wait for a court order to act. All forms of commercial child labour under 14 will be criminalised, and instead of meaningless fines or short prison sentences, the criminals will face tough penalties.

Majority of MPs say they’ll support the bill, but they don’t believe there’s any political urgency to bring it to a vote.

And each day they delay, more children are forced into a life of sweatshop misery. It’s up to us to push them over the edge. 

Just weeks ago, 1.2 million of Avaaz connumity got together to help pass the most comprehensive education plan in Pakistan.

How we treat our children is a reflection on our moral compass — and it´s time to take firm steps against their abuse. Let’s join together to speak out for the future of India’s suffering children.

If the Avaaz community comes together, we can create a wave of attention to the bill, and push MPs to vote. 

Sign this urgent petition and forward it widely — when we reach 1 million we’ll deliver our message to the Parliament with former child workers:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/india_child_labour_g1/?bFAfecb&v=20394

With hope and determination,

Jamie, Alice, Alex, Alaphia, Lisa, Jeremy, Ricken, Dalia, Rewan, Michelle and the whole Avaaz team

MORE INFORMATION:

India proposes ban on child labor (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/india-proposes-ban-on-child-labor/2012/08/29/ef9d802a-f1f2-11e1-a612-3cfc842a6d89_story.html

Getting ready for the new law against child labour (The Hindu)
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/article3878212.ece

Over 60 million child laborers in India (India Tribune)
http://www.indiatribune.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2884:over-60-million-child-laborers-in-india 

35 child workers rescued from Delhi factories (Business Line)
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/economy/35-child-workers-rescued-from-delhi-factories/article1694550.ece

End Child Labour and Educational Disadvantage – report and film
http://educationenvoy.org/