“A big need for widespread and significant efforts to make the state child labor free” – Ms. Sangeeta Beniwal, Honourable chairperson, RSCPCR

An online webinar organized by VAAGDHARA on the occasion of World Child Labor Prohibition Day-12 June 2023 to establish a dialogue with experts from the tribal tri-junction of 3 states of Southern Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh on a common online platform concerning child rights and child labor.

 The Chairperson of the commission, Ms. Sangeeta Beniwal stressed the need to prevent migration, rehabilitate facilities and develop a monitoring system to ensure the state is child labor free. She expressed concern and added that even the Child Commission and the State Government are functioning collectively on a similar path with tireless efforts though the dilemma has not yet been resolved, thus she enlightened all the stakeholders, especially the voluntary organizations, to Come forward and take the initiative with significant efforts put together to construct every village and block child labor free in the state.

Child rights practitioner Mr. Govind Beniwal from Jaipur, Rajasthan, mentioned that in the process to stop child labor, by strengthening the education system need to ensure the increased enrolment in schools, linkages with social security schemes of the deprived families, and increasing the living income of the families in tribal junction. To strengthen, it is necessary to emphasize strengthening child protection at the panchayat level.

President, of the Child Welfare Committee Banswara Mr. Dilip Rokadia, said that for the past several years, the Vaagdhara organization has been working with the district-level departments and village-level existing Sangathan (People’s Organization) to reduce migration to create a child-labor-free village.

Member of the Madhya Pradesh Child Welfare Committee Mr. Pradeep Jain told about the importance of Child Labor Day, efforts by the state government and local administration to reduce child labor an oath has been taken by the group to prevent child labor. Mr. Jimmy Nirmal from Sara Sansthan, Jhabua, emphasized that in the present situation, there is a big need to plan and implement inclusive efforts to reduce school dropout in children. It will be helpful in the reduction of child labor.

The facilitator of this dialogue, a Child Education and Development Swaraj expert from Vaagdhara, Ms. Madhu Singh gave a brief explanation about the strategic support system at the community level groups like- BSS, GSS,  Krishi and Adivasi Swaraj Sangathan. These groups are working effectively with deep involvement to secure and promote child rights as well as to build these 1041 villages as child-friendly villages under the theme of true childhood.

At last, the lead implementation unit of Vaagdhara, Mr. Parmesh Patidar gave a vote of thanks and expressed gratitude to the special speakers and more than 500 participants involved in this dialogue.

Along with dialogue, the members of Bal Swaraj Samuh, Gram Swaraj Samuh and Krishi and Adivasi Swaraj Sangathan along with the community organized ‘Prabhat Pheri’ in all the 1041 villages and tried to convey this message to the people that “Children need LOVE and Care, child labor is not FAIR” and “Childhood needs EDUCATION, not child labor and DESTRUCTION".