Ban child labour in agriculture: Activists

Kolkata, Jun 12 (PTI) On the occasion of World Day Against Child Labour today, child rights activists demanded a ban on child labour in the agriculture sector where nearly 70 per cent of India's child labourers work. Pointing put that under the Child Labour Act, agriculture sector falls under the non-hazardous category and remains out of the purview of the Act, international NGO Save the Children's CEO Thomas Chandy said an amendment is needed urgently. "There should be no distinction between hazardous and non-hazardous work for children upto the age of 14 years. There should be a complete ban on all forms of child labour till this age," he said in a statement. Having the largest child population in the world at 440 million, India also has the highest number of child labourers. According to the 2001 Census, there are 1.26 crores economically active children in the age-group of 5-14 years. Among the states, Uttar Pradesh accounts for a larger share of close to one fourth of all child labour in India followed by Andhra Pradesh. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chairperson Shanta Sinha said, "It is hoped that there are strong legal instruments to abolish all forms of child labour for adolescents in the age group of 14 to 18 years". A joint statement by NCPCR, ILO and UNICEF called for ratification of international instruments against child labour in an unequivocal manner and renewing of existing anti-child labour legislation and policies and adapting them to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2000. PTI NIK RG

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