Child labour is among one of the pressing issues of the world that needs immediate attention. June 12 is observed as World Day Against Child Labour that raises awareness around the issue and also urges people to work towards its prevention. Celebrities share concern and also speak about how painful it is to see children working on roadside shops, stations, factories, among others:
Ashok Kumar Beniwal
Child labour is a crime. Sadly, because of poverty and lack of awareness, many children go to work to support their families. It deprives children of their right to education, impacts their physical and mental health. It breaks my heart to see children working when they are supposed to be attending school and playing in the fields. Children are the future of our society. In my view, the government must take strong initiatives in this matter to stop child labour immediately and to ensure their basic education.
Anupama Solanki
I feel sad when I see children selling small things at red lights or they are working in other places. There are lots of NGOs working for children but that is not enough, we all need to do our bit. Government should totally ban child labour from India and make stricter laws to eradicate the same. Recently, we have seen central government campaigns ‘Swachh Bharat Abhigyan’ being implemented so well and now we should start ‘Padega Bharat Tabhi Toh Badhega Bharat’.
Saanand Verma
Child labour is a very sad phenomenon and it is saddening to see children working in shops and railway stations or in a factory. I am also a victim of child labour. When I was just 7 and a half years old, I started working. I had to start earning for my family because of the poverty we faced. It was out of compulsion that I went to work. I have never seen the real happiness of being a child. So I can connect with these children and feel that it is very important that we should create worldwide awareness around this issue. The best phase of human life is childhood and that phase is spoiled when this happens. It is extremely sad. Collective effort should be made to make things better for every child in this world.
Swaroopa Ghosh
I feel deeply ashamed that I am unable to do anything about this issue. Whatever I can or I do is like a drop of water in a huge ocean. Yes, from time to time I have contributed financially and have been a member of different charities but compared to the enormity of the situation it’s nothing and it troubles me deeply. As individuals whatever we do will never be enough unless the legal system really comes down hard on this issue. The government at various points in time has passed laws to protect children but unfortunately, the implementation is not consistent. NGOs like Salaam Balk Trust, CRY, Society of Labour Development and many more are working towards giving these children better education, and protecting them but we haven’t been able to eradicate the root cause of this humongous problem. Until and unless our economic structure is able to create support for basic necessities in line with civic rights, and proper education for each and everyone, it’s important to have a system that keeps a vigilant eye that it’s been followed, this problem will continue.
Sunidee Chauhan
Child labour is something which is very common in our country & lots of other countries. It deprives children of their childhood, their potential and dignity that is harmful to their physical and mental development. It interferes with their education by depriving them of the opportunity to attend school or obliging them to leave school prematurely. The growing age itself is a learning process for a child & if they are forced to work so early that harms their learning process. Somehow I feel poverty forces children to work at such a young age, their families think the more family members will work, the more money they will add up. I am totally against this. Working is fine until their education is not hampered. I understand feeding is also important to survive & both the things can be done together. I always ask these children working on roads, stations, restaurants or elsewhere I see them whether they are studying or not, doing any activities about which they are passionate about etc. I also try to ask their reasoning behind working so early in age.
Ginnie Virdi
As I am a mother and have a daughter, I am a bit sensitive about this cause. I don’t support child labour at all and I think the government should take some strong and strict steps to make them study and simultaneously, give them monthly expenses so that they will not feel the need to work or beg. But everybody talks about it but no one does anything for them. If I get a chance, I would like to educate and feed them and their families while they are studying.
Nyrraa M Banerji
Of course it feels sad as at this age children are supposed to study and be our future. Imagine we call children the future of our nation and we steal their childhood by making them do all that work. But we don’t know about destiny. I have heard of child labourers becoming entrepreneurs . Everyone comes with a story. Having said that, children should’ve been forced to take education. Also serious punishment should be given to those people who employ these small kids.
Charrul Malik
We celebrate all the fancy days and people would not be knowing about this day. It is very important to talk about it. Not just talking about it but it is also necessary to implement the policies and laws so that child labour can be eradicated. When I see a child working in such places, my heartbeat just stops. I just wonder how their parents let them work. We do have laws but there are no strict implementations. Children are the future of our nation and by doing such work their innocence and childhood is lost. It is necessary to think why child labour is still happening? To eradicate child labour each and every one of us should take the initiative. Poverty and lack of education are the reasons of child labour so we all should deal with these issues together
