OUR CHARTER OF DEMANDS

 

1. Enforcement of free and compulsory elementary education to ensure that all children under the age of 14 avail themselves of quality education based on a curriculum, which is socially relevant and pedagogically sound and stimulating. The Government, rather than the poor parents should assume responsibility for implementing this. Urgent steps must be insisted to establish community managed schools where such facilities are not available. All schools, including the existing formal ones, should be run on the model of neighbourhood schools.
2. Given the nexus between poverty and child labour, the parents of child labourers should be covered by National Minimum Wages norms at par with Government class IV employees. They should be guaranteed at least 240 days of employment at National Minimum Wage level. This is justified by Article 43 of our Constitution.
3. All means of mass communication, particularly the Doordarshan and Akashwani should disseminate all aspects of NMW in all languages and dialects on regular basis and entertainingly through folk art and music. This will empower the voiceless and unorganized labour to galvanize and unionize themselves and fight for a rightful place in society. The resources of the mass media should also be used effectively to raise public awareness concerning the evil of child labour and to motivate the parents and the community at large to help all children under 14 to attend schools, especially the girl children.
4. Both Government and the Civil society should be galvanized to abolish the abominable caste system and fatalistic attitudes and socio-religious customs which tend to perpetuate gender inequity.
5. Last but not the least, implementation of TOTAL PROHIBITION is a must to eradicate poverty and child labour. (Article 47 of Indian Constitution)