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Delhi Declaration
On 12 June 2008, (world day against child labour) 70 children and more than 100 policy makers, representatives of the NGOs, governments, media and UN agencies, came together from 4 countries of South Asia – India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to discuss and share the problems that are being faced (or continue to be faced) in receiving a quality education, and the exploitative conditions faced by the child labourers, victims of trafficking for forced labour, out-of-school children, children belonging to tribal, nomadic and marginalised communities, victims of man-made and natural disasters, especially the girls. Together with Parliamentarians, policy makers, representatives of UN agencies, civil society representatives, concerned individuals from corporations and media, the children set out to map out the main issues that they believe governments, policy makers, corporations, media and the larger civil society should be focusing on to ensure that every girl and boy in the world are guaranteed the fundamental right to education, and are free from all forms of economic exploitation.
The child delegates were children that have first hand experience of being denied their right to education, and know better than anyone the urgency of meeting the education for all goals and the ILO Conventions of worst forms of child labour; how education has helped them overcome the trauma of being a child labourer or a victim of child trafficking. Education has been for these children a beacon of hope and a bridge that has helped them take the leap into mainstream society facilitating their social rehabilitation and reintegration. The Congress heard varied, and often heart-rending, accounts from children who had been directly affected by these problems. For instance: girls from Nepal gave speeches on the effects conflict has had on their education, children from Pakistan explained what it is like to have your life and education interrupted by poverty and unemployment in family, children from poverty stricken rural areas in the state of Bihar explained how after a failed agricultural season their parents could no longer afford to send them to school, former child labourers explained how happy they are now to be free from toil and receiving an education, other school going children, who represented the quality of education, shared how frustrating it is to receive an education that is so meaningless that they aren’t learning anything of value.
The presentations – drama, role-play, etc. by the children and the panellists acted as a springboard for further debate on the problems that are faced by child labourers, all children face in receiving an education, the need for greater policy coherence and programme coordination, synchronisation among the different agencies working with children, the important role mass media, awareness and advocacy plays in reaching the unreached. The participants also discussed on the commonality of shared experiences with other children in the world, keeping in mind that these experiences are just a snapshot of the problems encountered by the more than 72 million children around the world who are out of school and more than 214 million children toiling as child labourers. The communiqué was drafted keeping all these children in mind, taking inputs from the policy session, the corporate and media session, in the understanding that an international audience is receiving and would receive the document.
The final session of the Congress focused on what the child delegates, policy makers, civil society representatives and media believed governments of the world should be doing to ensure a child friendly world and to achieve education for all goals. During the final session, they drafted the Communiqué that follows, lively debate ensued and what is contained below is the final set of demands that were thrashed out over a much-extended final session.
Let it be clear, that the Communiqué reflects so little of the raw emotion shared at the Congress, there were tears and laughter and learning from all present. One thing was apparent; these children understood the value of education in their lives, and what they want more than anything is the chance to move beyond their exploitative situation and receive a quality education. Do not let them - and the millions more children who are toiling as child labourers and missing an education – down. |
South Asia Congress on Child Labour and Education - Communiqué
Children’s Session:
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Child labour should be completely abolished. No children should work.
- All children should go to school.
- Education should be free. School fees and all materials related to school should be free.
- Girls and boys should get the same education.
- Children should be provided with good schools, with all the basic amenities and facilities in the school.
- In every government and private school there should be the same education; education at government schools should be as good quality as private schools.
- The governments should make arrangements for education for needy children, tribal children (like Tharu children), children of minority communities and with special focus girls.
- Communal violence and tensions should be stopped, so that children are able to enjoy their childhood and get an education.
- Children themselves should be allowed to participate and voice their demands in any matter that relate to them.
- Special schooling should be provided to child labourers so that they can then go to normal school.
- During natural disasters and other difficulties special arrangements should be made for children and, at that time, special arrangements should also be made for education.
- There should be quality education, and that means:
- Trained teachers, who know how to teach, and want to teach
- There should be medical facilities in school
- Games and fun in school
- Participation of children in school planning and lessons
- Special education and school arrangements need to be made for children with disabilities, especially former child labourers who have been afflicted with disabilities during work.
Policy Session:
- A holistic approach toward elimination of child labour and provision of education for all children should be adopted, with a move towards a complete ban on child labour.
- Promote alliances between policy makers and practitioners, at various levels including the target groups for synchronised policy planning and implementation.
- Education Policy should ensure that the fundamental right of education is enforced. Education should be free and compulsory as well as meaningful.
- Promote deeper and genuine partnerships, between governments, bilateral, multilateral, inter-departmental, inter-agency and civil society organisations, trade unions and employers organisations, teachers associations, and co-operations within and across countries.
- Strengthen collaborative efforts with local/municipal governments and NGOs, education and vocational training and poverty reduction programmes.
- Develop and enforce concise and clearly defined legislation and policies that all ambiguity and doubts are removed – be it about the minimum age of employment, or rescue and rehabilitation of children currently in labour.
- Replicate good practices and adopt blue print models for elimination of child labour and promotion of education for all.
Media and Advocacy Session:
- Media should be community based and community driven, reflecting the voices and needs of the most downtrodden.
- Raising awareness on the issue- an important means of prevention of trafficking and child labour.
- Give a genuine and rights based representation of the stories of the survivors of trafficking and child labour.
- Be sensitive to the special needs of children especially girls including privacy; protect the wishes and the rights of the children by ensuring that there is no undue pressure during interviews or other communication with them.
- Document and promote good practices to end trafficking and child labour.
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