'Ban child labour in all sectors'

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has written to the PMO and other ministries to amend the Child Labour Act so that child labour is abolished in all sectors.

NCPCR chairperson Shanta Sinha on Wednesday said if Right to Education (RTE) had to be implemented, then child labour in all industries should be abolished so that every child could go to school.

“Basically the Act prohibits child labour only in 60 or so hazardous industries. But if you want Right to Education implemented when every child has to go to school, then child labour has to be abolished totally. It cannot stay in certain sectors and it has to be abolished in all sectors to enable every child to come to school,” Sinha said.

Right to Education
The NCPCR chairperson said she had written to the PMO and ministries concerned about the amendments and was expecting changes to be enacted in the law.

“We have already moved on it and we have written letters to law ministry, labour ministry, women and child development ministry, to the Prime Minister’s office and the National Advisory Council (NAC) and I think they are moving on the matter,” Sinha said.

He also added she expected the UP government to take action against police officials who had disclosed the identity of a teenaged rape victim in Noida. “Certainly disciplinary action will have to be taken against the police for disclosing information on the girl. This should not be repeated,” he said.

Sinha also said in the recent times, the situation in the country had improved and people were demanding more amenities and their rights from the states.

“Now at least we are taking about rights, children as entitlement holders. There has been a shift happening because then you can demand. It at least now puts the onus on the state to provide for the requirements,” Sinha said.