The Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL) has intensified its presence in Uttar Pradesh (UP) for the total eradication of child labour in the State. Caritas India is forging ahead with the mission of CACL to also ensure children’s fundamental Right to Education up to the age of 18.

The Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL) is a national-level network or campaign of different organisations that have joined hands to raise the issue of child labour in India and actively intervene where children’s rights are being violated.

The first initiation meeting of the UP CACL State chapter began on July 23 at Lucknow Diocesan Social Work Society with 18 representatives from Eight (8) like-minded NGOs and INGOs.

“Child labour usually begins at home; it’s sad but a reality,” said Fr. Ronald Dsouza, Director of Lucknow DSWS, in the opening message of the meeting. He specifically mentioned that the presence of everyone here is a good indication that we are willing to work for the reduction of Child labour in the State of Uttar Pradesh.

Dr. Jayanta Munsi, Lead-Child Development, Caritas India, shared that the objective of the initiation meeting of Uttar Pradesh CACL member organisations is to rejuvenate the movement and assist members in learning about Caritas India and its partner’s programme interventions in the context of child protection: child labour, child marriage, child trafficking, and child education. In his speech, he specifically mentioned the existing situation of child labour in the state and underscored the initiatives of the State Government to eradicate this social evil. He also requested all the existing members of the UP CACL Forum to share their experiences about the actual status quo of child labour in the State or Region, which will finally lead to building consensus for preparing the roadmap of the UP CACL Forum for the next three months.

To share the existing relationship between the CACL Forum and Caritas India in West Bengal, Asha R. Ekka, Programme Lead WB and UP, Child Development, as well as Co-Convenor of the CACL WB Forum, highlighted the key achievements and milestones of the West Bengal Campaign against Child Labour (CACL), whose joint efforts with those of its members have brought a lot of vigour and vibrancy to the campaign against child labour in West Bengal.

Sharing the key achievements of the CACL UP Chapter, Mr. Rajkumar Kushwaha, Campaign Coordinator, mentioned in brief their initiatives on child rights issues in their selected operational areas of operations in UP. He specifically expressed interest in receiving technical support from Caritas India towards strengthening this forum in Uttar Pradesh. Other participants from the Mumkin Foundation, Safe Society, and Sarathi elaborately discussed the challenges of getting child labour-related information in a systematic manner from the Labour Department. A representative from the Mumkin Foundation, Mr. Akhilesh Kumar, emphatically stated that different CSOs maintain actual child labour-related information within their intervention areas. He suggested that the campaign coordinator of the CACL UP Forum take the initiative to collate that information at the central level to prepare a compact data bank.

The meeting concluded with the members’ unanimous decision to hold a zone-level Quarterly Meeting in the first week of August 2023 at Gorakhpur. It was suggested to share the SWOT analysis undertaken by UPCACL with partners. In the coming days, some IEC visibility materials will be developed to promote the CACL Forum in the State, especially in the Government system. A meeting was proposed with the Chairperson of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights to sensitise her on the initiatives of the CACL UP Forum.

The said meeting was attended by representatives from Mumkin Foundation, Manav Sansadhan Evom Mahila Vikas Sanstha, Bharatiya Jan Seva Ashram, Safe Society, Sarathi, DSWS Lucknow, Seva Kendra Silchar, PGSS, and Dehat India. Altogether, seven non-government organisations attended the consultative meeting, including Caritas India.