Bhubaneswar: To commemorate the International Day against Child Labour, the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR), Labour and ESI department, in collaboration with UNICEF, released two posters as part of a sensitization programme against child labour in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
The posters feature contrasting images of a child as a laborer and another as a student, accompanied by a message in both Odia and English condemning child labor. The posters aims to emphasize the importance of keeping children in schools, ensuring a safe and secure future for them.
Sarada Prasad Nayak, Minister of Labour and ESI released the poster.
Speaking on the Occasion, Mandakinee Kar, Chairperson, Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) addressed the audience during the occasion. She stressed that all children have the right to a safe and labor-free childhood, and it is the responsibility of every citizen to ensure that children remain in classrooms rather than being forced into workplaces. She urged everyone to pledge and contribute to the eradication of child labor.
She encouraged the students who were present there to put a placard in front of their house saying, “Ours is a child labour free house.” In this way, every child, can be a part of the awareness campaign against child labour. She added.
Sugata Roy, Officer in Charge, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF, Bhubaneswar said “Child labour is a worse form of violence. The children’s rights are violated if the child is not in school. Our focus should be on moving the child from occupation to education. We all should think and find a way to push for a child-labour-free society”.
Umi Daniel Director, Migration & Education Thematic unit at Aide et Action South Asia, informed “After COVID, many children are out of school and get into child labour. If we want to have a child-labour-free society, then we have to work together and ensure that every child gets an education.
Nishant Kartik Nayak,a student volunteer emphasized the role of young people in ending child labour. He says this is high time that we all should come together and should focus on the call to action on ending child labour.