It was an extraordinary inaugural for an extraordinary event. The Second Children’s World Congress, a four-day event was chaired by a 12-year-old former bonded child labourer, Amarlal. Amarlal and some 200-child participants from 30 countries have taken the spotlight from the adults. These child leaders and child activists have travelled from across the world to demand action- action to eliminate child labour and ensure education for all. The Congress is being organised in New Delhi from 4-8 September by Global March Against Child Labour and hosted by its Indian partner Bachpan Bachao Andolan.

Sh Arjun Singh, Minister of Human Resource Development, Chief Guest of the Inaugural Ceremony announced that in the next Parliament session he would be introducing a Bill for constitution of a Commission at national and state level which will exclusively deal with all issues pertaining to children and see that existing programmes are implemented properly and also to suggest measures for their improvement. Further, he added that the Children’s Declaration (Plan of Action) prepared by the delegates of the Children’s Congress would be seriously considered by him and his ministry.

Amarlal, a 12-year old Banjara boy, ex- bonded labourer and the elected child chair while introducing the Congress hoped for a child labour free world with all children in schools getting free and quality education. He said children today want urgency and honesty in government and societal action to eliminate child labour and ensure education for all.

Sh Kailash Satyarthi, Chairperson, Global March Against Child Labour and Bachpan Bachao Andolan, reflected on the ancient mantra “San gachchadvam, samvadadva, Samvo manansi jantam, Devabhagam Yatha poorve, Sanjanaanam Upasate”.

“Thousands of years ago, the ancient ‘Rishis’ or visionaries gave us this Mantra…Let’s March Together, Let’s Speak Together, Let’s deliberate together, Let’s sit together to construct a knowledge which would then become divine for the good of the entire Universe…Normally the Government authorities, Institutions and agencies, business people and bankers, and the leaders of civil society assemble. Sometimes events are also organized for the well of children. But I am honoured and proud to announce that the children who have gone through the most appalling conditions of labour and trafficking, exploitation and misery and torture in their lives, are bringing divine light through their presence here. For the world, they are icons of hope. I salute these new heroes who are inspirations to the entire world.” He also announced that the elected children from the Congress will take forward the issue of child labour and education at the New York UN Summit from 14 September. Read Full Text of Speech>>

Mesfin from Ethiopia, Pauline from Belgium, Carlos from Mexico, Emily from United States and Alireza from Iran brought welcome messages from their countries. Though they spoke in different languages, each one of them had the same message – solidarity, friendship, peace and education towards a common action plan to eliminate child labour and exploitation.

Sh Ravi Prakash Verma, Member of Parliament, Chairperson of Parliamentary Forum on Education and a long time Bachpan Bachao Andolan Activist, Elie Jouen, Deputy Secretary General of Education International (largest teacher’s trade union) and Simon Styne, Member of Trade Union Congress and ILO Governing Body, and other Global March International Council members were also present to express solidarity and encourage this historic effort by the children.