Campaign against child labour in Odisha: Sishu Shrama Nirakarana Sachetanata Ratha flagged-off

Bhubaneswar: With an aim to spread the message to end child labour and make Odisha a child labour free state, Principal Secretary of Labour and ESI Department, Chithra Arumugam, today flagged off the Sishu Shrama Nirakarana Sachetanata Ratha from the premises of Labour Directorate today.

This has been launched as part of a 15-Day exclusive Campaign against child labour which has been initiated by Labour and ESI Department in collaboration with other stakeholders namely Unicef, Peoples’ Cultural Centre, Campaign Against Child Labour, CYSD, Community Radio Association of Odisha, Aide Et Action, International Justice Mission and other Civil Society Organisations of Odisha.

This 15-Day Campaign from today will be taken up at district level throughout Odisha and different programmes like Rally, Signature Campaign, District Level Sensitisation Meeting on Child & Adolescent Labour (P&R) Act, 1986, Sand Art in Puri etc. to spread awareness on the legal and penal provisions against employers of children as labourers.

The 15-Day Campaign will culminate on 12.06.2022 which is celebrated as World Day Against Child Labour. A State Level function has been proposed to be held on this day with participation of converging Govt. Departments, Civil Society Organisations and rescued children who have become role models for others.

During the flagging-off ceremony, Dr. N.Thirumala Naik, the Labour Commissioner, Monika Nielsen, State Head Unicef, Dr. Sisir Das, Secretray, Community Radio Association of Odisha, Umi Daniel, Regional Head, Aide Et Action, Piyush Nanda, IJM, Anuradha Mohanty, Director PECUC and senior officials and staffs of Labour and ESI Department were present.