SHILLONG, June 14: With the objective of generating awareness on issues surrounding child labour, the Meghalaya State Legal Services Authority (MSLSA), on Monday, organised a webinar on the theme ‘Child Labour Pre and Post Covid-19 Pandemic’ in observance of World Day Against Child Labour.
The discussions during the webinar focused on the aggravated risk of school dropouts, forced labour, early marriages and trafficking caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking on the occasion, Member Secretary of MSLSA-cum-District and Session Judge, NA Khan, said the pandemic has pushed millions into poverty and child labour is directly impacted by it.
“Besides the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic arising in increased poverty among low-income groups, the closure of schools has seen a rapid increase in child labour globally,” Khan stated, adding that a “child cannot develop into a responsible and productive member of society unless he/she is brought up in an enabling environment”.
He also said that there are many constitutional provisions which prohibit children below the age of 14 from being engaged in labour and also ensure that children are given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner in an environment of freedom and dignity while being protected against exploitation and from moral and material abandonment.
The MSLSA member secretary also lamented that increased child labour statistics caused due to the pandemic has undone the past efforts of governments and stakeholders in mitigating child labour, which is predominant in the society.
In relation to this, he stressed on the importance of adopting strategies ranging from enrolment of and retaining children in schools, income generation avenues for adults, poverty eradication programmes, awareness programmes on universalization of primary education etc, to create an environment for the survival, growth and protection of children.
