In the global Sustainable Development Goals (Target 8.7), the world committed to ending all forms of child labour by 2025. The last two decades have seen significant strides in the fight against child labour. But the COVID-19 pandemic poses very real risks of backtracking.

The mitigation measures of COVID has adversely impacted the wellbeing of children. Apart from children losing out on their Right to education due to closure of schools, they are also exposed to several other risks of dropping out of school, becoming Child Labourers, increasing Violence against Children,   Trafficking, Cyber Crimes, Child Marriages etc due to predicament of entering into inter-generational poverty as an aftermath of lockdown.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has four policy pillars to respond to the COVID-19 crisis based on international standards. First, stimulate the economy and employment. Second, support enterprises, jobs and incomes. Third, protect workers in the workplace. Fourth, rely on social dialogue for solutions. Caritas India’s agenda for action for Children amidst COVID is very much aligned to its key strategic pillars of Empowerment Animation and Engaging in Dialogue as well as ILOs fourth pillar on social dialogue for solutions. Caritas India through its programme of Surokhit Shaishav is actively involved in engaging in dialogue with multi-stakeholders for prevention of Child Labour during COVID. One such action is conducting sensitization dialogues with the Union of Taxi Drivers, shopkeepers and Employers towards pledging “No to Child Labour”.

Caritas India’s local partners have come out with a well-coordinated effort to check the incidence of child labour by engaging with taxi drivers, auto drivers, private car owners, bus drivers and e-rickshaw driver association and syndicate sensitizing them on child protection concerns and issues. Unaware and unwarranted of the consequences, many children go missing, trafficked and even transported for child labour through them as traffickers use their means for transporting children to different locations.  These sensitization dialogues across 6 districts of West Bengal are Campaigns being conducted to spread mass awareness on the negative consequences of child labour, laws related to rights of children through distribution of stickers, leaflets, broadcasting messages through radio,  miking and signing of the pledge against Child Labour.

“Until I participated in this Awareness sessions, I was quite ignorant about the issues of children and ways they are often trafficked for work. Now after my participation, I am glad that I am contributing my bit in the fight towards elimination of Child Labour and alerting my fellow drivers as well”,  shared Mr.Mondal ( name changed ) who rescued 6 children from being trafficked for work in Murshidabad district last month. 

“It is my responsibility towards a fellow human being to see that no child from Farakka taxi union stand is abducted or taken into forces child labour, I personally will keep an eye and check if any such incidence takes place” shared Mr Saha.

Child labour is the combined product of many factors, such as poverty, social norms condoning it, lack of decent work opportunities for adults and adolescents, migration, and emergencies.

It is not only a cause but also a consequence of social inequities reinforced by discrimination. These small yet calibrated measures will no doubt respond to the emergency needs that COVID-19 has generated and ease the life of children directly or indirectly to some extent. Effective action against child labour must address the full range of vulnerabilities that children face and require the implementation of policies and programmes that can contribute to the elimination of child labour through sustainable solutions to address its root causes and Caritas India is on its journey towards the elimination of Child Labour through its Multi-stakeholder collaboration at the micro, meso and macro level and intervention at the grassroots through its partners.