Research Project on STOP CHILD LABOUR - Brilliant Work by Mandrem Free Legal Aid Cell

I.               “CHILD IS MEANT TO LEARN, NOT EARN” – RESEARCH PROJECT ON ERADICATION OF CHILD LABOUR IN SHACKS – MANDREM LEGAL AID CELL – RESOLUTION PASSED BY GRAM SABHA

With the motto of  ‘STOP CHILD LABOUR’, the members of Mandrem Free Legal Aid Cell comprising of Chhaya Mhamal, Janhavi Parsekar , Maria, Fernandes, Leesha Kharbe and          Brian Rodrigues undertook a research project on Eradication of child Labour In the shacks in Mandrem. Dr. B.S.Patil, who is also the faculty in charge of the Cell guided the students in this project.

Significance of the study: Child labour has been an international concern because it damages, spoils and destroys the future of children. The problem of child labour is a serious matter not only in India but also in other developing countries. Various legislations governing prohibition of child labour says that any child below the age of 14 years cannot be employed either in a factory or office or a restaurant. Child labour is the practice of having children engaged in economic activity on part or full time basis. The practice deprives the children of their childhood, and is harmful to their physical and mental development. It refers to work that is mentally, physically, socially and morally dangerous and is harmful to children to work whose schedule interferes with their ability to attend regular school or work that affects in any way their ability to focus on school or experience healthy childhood.

Aim: To facilitate the Gram Sabha in passing a resolution that child labour is prohibited and convincing the owners of the shacks to put up a banner outside their shacks which read, “NO CHILD EMPLOYED HERE.” And carry on further inspection of the shacks to check compliance

Purpose served: (1) The tourists would know that there is no child employed in the shacks. (2) In case there is a child labour employed, the tourists as well as the customer can question the shack owner regarding the same.

Drafting the Resolution: The team approached the Panchayat Secretary, Mr. Francis Fernandes and sought information on the date of  Gram Sabha, wherein he informed it to be on 8th November 2015 . The students explained to him about the project wherein he guided them to draft an application about the problem and to submit it in the Panchayat taking inward on it. So, the team drafted an application addressed to the panchayat to pass a resolution in Gram Sabha for affixing banners on topic stop child labour in shacks, restaurants, shops and in all ward of Mandrem village.Accordingly, they went to the panchayat and submitted the application to the secretary and the panchayat clerk registered the problem to be taken in the gram sabha and gave an inward on the application.

Attending Gram Sabha: The team attended the gram sabha held on 8th November 2015 wherein they put forth the contents of their resolution which had been approved by the panchayat without any objections. The application was filed before the panchayat requesting the secretary and sarpanch, Mrs. Vaishali  Shirodkar,  to issue the copy of the resolution.

Follow up: After the resolution copy was provided the team  requested the secretary for a list of names of all the shacks, hotels and resorts in  Mandrem  and  Ashvem villages. The list which was so provided contained 64 numbers of resorts and shacks. The team also requested the Panchayat to provide us with a member to accompany them in their visits to the shacks. So the secretary sent Mr. Nikhil Mandrekar to accompany the team to inform all shacks about the resolution. The team approached the hotel and shack owners on 2nd February 2016 and gave them the information on prohibition of child labour and also informed them about the resolution, size of the banner and the material to be used. Some were very cooperative whereas some had problem with the size of the banner and material. Hence the students agreed with them to reduce the size of the banner and informed that they would further come for inspection on 22 February 2016.

When the team went for inspection on 22nd February 2016 they found that the response was very poor. Hence they decided to speak with the Prof. In charge, Dr. B. S Patil. He suggested that they should write an application to the Goa State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights. Accordingly the team wrote an application to the Goa State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights and submitted it in their office at Panjim. They were told to call and find out whether an officer would be accompanying us or not. The team called them the following day at 3p.m. and they accepted our request to send an officer Audrey pinto to accompany them for the inspection on 29th February 2016.

Impact Assessment: On 29th the team went for an inspection with the Child Commission Officer Audrey pinto. They started with the inspection at 9 a.m. We found out that most of the shacks had displayed the banner and for those who had not displayed the banner, we gave them the last date i.e. 8 march 2016. The officer was successful in convincing the shacks to put up the banner who were not cooperative. On 8th March 2016 they again went for our last inspection of the shacks and resorts. Altogether they covered 64 shacks and resorts out of which 52 shacks and resorts   have put up the banner and 12 have not put up the banner. Some of them gave reasons of shutting down the shacks whereas some assured us that they will put up the banner in October month. Some completely refused to put up the banner and remaining confirmed that they would put up within few days.

Future Plan of Action: The team members plan an awareness campaign to to make all people aware about the prohibition of child labour and to cover all the shops and hotels in Mandrem and Ashvem village and inform them about the same.