National   

Export councils should vouch for child labour-free status, says panel

NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has directed the State governments and export promotion councils to set up a self-regulatory mechanism to curb child labour.

It has asked the States to initiate social auditing to ensure that no child labour is engaged in any form.

In a communication to the Union Textile Minister and the Chief Secretaries of the States, Commission chairperson Shanta Sinha said: “Children are being employed by many informal and household sectors. Newer forms of child labour are being discovered everyday by media and social activists. Many children are recruited as bonded labour.”

The Commission has taken cognisance of reports of children being trafficked in and employed on Bt. cotton fields, in zari and embroidery making and in many other industries. In spite of the notification prohibiting employment of children in shops and establishments, millions of them are still being engaged as help in this sector, it says. The panel has asked the export promotion councils to put in place self-regulatory systems to certify non-engagement of child labour from the supply to export stage.

Directives have gone to the Chief Secretaries of all States to strengthen enforcement of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2006, the Bonded Labour Act, and the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 and ensure that children are sent to regular fulltime schools.

To strengthen law enforcement, the Commission has directed that the States ensure — through the District Collectors — formation of a task force for social audits to make sure that there is no child labour in the processes and occupations listed in the Schedule - Part A and B of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986. It has emphasised inclusion of auditing residential complexes by a task force team to find out whether domestic child labour has been engaged.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Centre explains procedure on appointment of judge
Export councils should vouch for child labour-free status, says panel
Trinamool, Congress oppose debate on nuclear deal
Antony orders probe into ‘harassment’ of woman officer
ICAI announces CPT, final exam results
Firing on fishermen: PM to speak to Rajapaksa
Modi speech was a response to Sonia campaign: Gujarat
Russia offers to sell state-of-the-art strike fighter
BJP revokes suspension
6 jungle warfare training schools to be set up soon
TRS is emerging as nucleus of smaller parties
SP MLA held for ‘threatening’ woman
First core library of minerals set up in Rajasthan
‘Revolutionary results with new paddy transplant’
Migrant worker shot dead in Imphal
PGI Chandigarh convocation tomorrow
Jailed MPs can take part in trust vote
In Manipur, parents worried as more children go missing
Turning to the sun for clean energy
Extract promise on Gorkhaland: GJM

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu