Actors Zerifa Wahid and Ratul Das pose with children on the occasion of World Day against Child Labour on Thursday. Picture by Eastern Projections

June 12: Young and popular Assamese actress Zerifa Wahid sang a song about the importance of going to school while Monika Hari Singha, a Class VII student from YWCA School, promised to spare time from her studies to create awareness against child labour.

From actors, school and college students and bureaucrats, they were all present today. They resolved to put up a joint fight against the menace of child labour.

The resolution was adopted at the end of a function, organised at L.M. Hostel auditorium, Council of Baptist Churches on North East India campus at Panbazar, by World Vision in collaboration with Ekta, an umbrella organisation, to observe World Day against Child Labour.

“We all must put up a joint fight and try to eradicate child labour. A country cannot hope for a bright future if its children cannot go to school. Since we all work for a better and bright future, we must fight against child labour,” Zerifa said.

Echoing Zerifa, actor Ratul Das pointed out that if every individual promised to send even one child to school, the problem of child labour would be solved. Monika, while thanking the organisers for inviting her to the function, asked how could a country feel its future was secure when more than half of its children do not go to school.

She said those who were going to schools could inspire the underprivileged children and make them understand the importance of education.

Students from various city schools like Don Bosco School, Panbazar Girls’ High School, T.C. Girls Higher Secondary School and Nichols Higher Secondary School also pledged to devote time help the child labourers get education.

On the other hand, the deputy director of social welfare department, Junu Neog, while speaking at the function, said the department has chalked out various schemes to effectively fight and eradicate child labour.

He said the dedicated NGOs and social activists would be backed fully by her department to root out the problem.

The project manager of Guwahati chapter of World Vision, Gamliel Sherio, said the problem of child labour has taken an alarming proportion and a concerted effort must be initiated immediately to prevent the increasing trend of children working for their livelihood instead of going to school. He said the purpose of holding today’s function was to start the concerted effort.

There is a blanket ban on children under 14 working as domestic helps or as servants at hotels, teashops, restaurants and resorts. The violators could be jailed for up to two years and fined a minimum of Rs 20,000.