'No census on child labour'

The Census department has not published the child labour population figures for 2011 in Delhi till date and there has been zero conviction rate of child labour cases, revealed a Right To Information report filed by a Child Rights and You volunteer.

The census department was supposed to give the figures in 2011 after 2001 but activists allege that the department is delaying the information on purpose.

Nancy Priya, a Delhi University student, who is also a CRY volunteer said, “I had asked the department for information related to child labour in north Delhi and south Delhi.”

The department was supposed to give this information in May but they were not able to so they gave it in June,” she added.

According to the RTI reply, 640 cases were registered against child labour, with north west Delhi registering 192 cases. Interestingly, in north Delhi and south Delhi there has been nil recovery of money. 

This was revealed during a programme organised by CRY to spread awareness about child labour  in the city where students from Delhi University, Indraprastha University and International Institute of Information Technology performed a street play..
 
“Despite several awareness programmes measures taken on this issue, child labour continues to persist in the country as people are making use of the loopholes in the present law. We call for serious deliberations and an amendment in the child protection law,” said Shanta Sinha, chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, who was also present at the programme.

The play Abhi ek muskaan baaki hai threw light at the situation of child labourers in the capital and stressed on the need to review the existing Child Labour (Prohibition And Regulation) Act, 1986.

This is a month-long campaign which will create awareness about issues related to child labour. At the end of the campaign, CRY members will present a dossier to city MLAs and bureaucrats for thier support. 

“We demand a universal definition of a child across the country, and laws for children. Also, we need to promote complete ban on all forms of labour rather than segregating them as hazardous and non-hazardous,” said Soha Moitra, director CRY. 
 
Soha added that restaurants namely Diva, Harem, Balle Club at the Peppermint Hotels have already joined the cause and pledged not to encourage child labour.

Activists have demanded that all children between three to 18 years be covered under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, which will act as a necessary measure towards abolishing child labour.