SHILLONG, June 12: Continuing its tirade against child labour, a social organisation called SPARK organised a weeklong programme on the occasion of World Day Against Child Labour on the theme ‘Universal Social Protection to End Child Labour’, calling for investments in social safety nets and programmes to protect children from being forced into child labour.
In a statement, the SPARK said with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic and the global crisis, there has been a drastic surge in child labour across the globe due to people facing employment woes.
This year too, the weeklong programme was organised at Bara Bazar slum, Mawlynrei Trianshnong, Mawlong Umsawli, Rangmen and Mawphor Pongkung villages with the major objective to spread awareness among the communities about the ills of child labour, which ruins the lives of the children by snatching away their childhood from them and pushing them into the darkness of abuse and exploitation.
The communities were sensitised on their important roles and responsibilities in eradicating child labour completely.
SPARK also carried out signature campaign and film screening on the issue with children holding posters and raising their voice against child labour and violation of their rights.
Moreover, a number of children engaged as child labour were brought back and enrolled in SPARK educational centres.