There are various forms of child labour, and the domestic sector is among the most common and difficult to regulate
SHILLONG, May 28: The Chairperson of the Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR), Agatha K Sangma, has expressed serious concern over the growing prevalence of child labour in the state and stressed the need for better monitoring and enforcement through coordinated efforts with the Labour department.
Speaking to reporters, Sangma said a review meeting was recently held with the Labour department to assess the current situation. Discussions centred on how to prevent the misuse of children and ensure that any instance of child labour is promptly acted upon.
She said, “We reviewed with Labour department, discussed about the child labour situation and we will have a separate meeting to ensure that this is monitored and precautions are taken where children are not misused and legal action can be initiated against those committing the crime.”
She acknowledged the complexities in tracking child labour in Meghalaya, especially when it manifests in less visible forms. “As of now I do not have the correct data, but we have the Labour department in discussion with us and they told us it is a situation which is very hard to monitor because sometimes child labour is found in the form of domestic workers, in the age of 14, working in somebody’s house. They come in the pretext of giving education but end up being a domestic help for a particular household,” she said.
Pointing out that there are various forms of child labour in the state, Sangma underlined that the domestic sector is among the most common and difficult to regulate. “There are various forms of child labour and this is one of the most prevalent ones in Meghalaya,” she added.
The MSCPCR Chairperson also stressed the need for proper documentation and data to tackle the issue more effectively. “We have to create a data and currently we are in touch with the Labour Department and we will take it further,” she said.