Bhubaneswar: Compulsory education is key to eliminating child labour, emphasised People’s Cultural Centre (PECUC) secretary Ranjan Kumar Mohanty while addressing the gathering at a state-level convention organised by PECUC on World Day Against Child Labour here, Wednesday.
Around two hundred students from various institutions, youth, women’s group, ASHA workers, AWW and CSOs took par t in the event. The participants deliberated on this year’s theme: “Let’s act on our commitments: End Child Labour” set by the International Labour Organsiation (ILO). “Despite significant progress in reducing child labour over the years, recent trends have shown a reversal, making it crucial to accelerate efforts to end child labour in all its forms,” they noted. Joining the event, former Labour Commissioner Aswini Kumar Das highlighted the necessity of creating awareness at different levels to achieve a child labour-free society.
Among notable speakers were former chairperson of Odisha State Commission For Protection Of Child Rights Sandhyabati Pradhan, programme manager of Odisha State Child Protection Society Pritikanta Panda, Khurda District Labour Officer (DLO) Pravakar Biswal, Sugata Ray from UNICEF, member of Real Estate Regulatory Authority Pradeep Kumar Biswal, Khurda District Child Protection Officer Banishree Pattnaik and president of Progressive Women Forum Mamata Samantaray. The attendees stressed the importance of coordination, convergence, and cooperation between all departments and CSOs to help locate and identify child labourers working in private homes and unorganised sectors.
A book titled ‘Education for Change: Untold Stories,’ a compilation of the groundbreaking work and experiences of PECUC in rescuing and rehabilitating child labourers, was released on the occasion. Some of the rescued children, named Chandra Majhi, Mamta Bhoi, Ajit Bhoi, and Sonalika Bhoi, shared their individual stories of being transformed into mainstream and avail school education through PECUC’s efforts. The convention was chaired by PECUC chairman Minakshi Panda.