DCPCR looks for help from mkt associations, pvt schools to curb child labour
new delhi: The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) will now be reaching out to Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs), keeping in line with their goal of eradicating child labour in the city. Meanwhile, the child rights body has also started meeting with private school associations to ensure that children at these schools can be made aware of the issue and can identify other children being forced into labour at their homes.
In the coming week, the commission will discuss various issues with APMCs members. A DCPCR document, sent to all APMCs, said, "The Commission is committed to eradicating child labour in Delhi by 2023. The meeting has been set to discuss the details of this plan and share the next step on it."
Further, the document read, "Prevailing and possibly increasing the problem of child labour in Delhi especially on account of COVID-19 pandemic and identifying gaps and challenges faced and taking steps for rectifying them were the agenda points to be discussed in the meeting." APMCs of Azadpur, Najafgadh, Ghazipur (Murga Sabzi and flower markets), Keshopur were sent the meeting invite for the discussion.
Anurag Kundu, Chairperson, DCPCR told Millennium Post that it needs collective effort from all sections of society to eradicate child labour in Delhi by 2023. They are reaching out to every stakeholder for the purpose. "The institutions where child labour is possible, slowly we are making a coalition so that we can fight child labour. We have identified those institutions," he said. According to him, if marketplaces and mandis took responsibility to not employ children, then it will be a great stride towards the abolishment of child labour.
Meanwhile, the Commission has started reaching out to private school associations. "Main focus has been given to children who are studying in top private schools. We have planned to create awareness among them so that they will not allow any child labourer in their houses," an official said. The DCPCR chairperson confirmed that they have begun this process and said, "We held meeting with one private school association and told them to sensitise kids to ensure that there will be no child labour in their houses," he said.
Earlier, the child rights body had said that they are also focusing on the attendance of the children studying in Delhi Government and MCD schools. According to one official, attendance of students studying in these schools can play an important role to check whether the child is safe or not. "If the child has less than 50 per cent attendance then it needs to be checked whether he or she is safe or not," the official said.
