BOSCO Observed World Day against Child Labour

BOSCO Bengaluru observed ‘World Day against Child Labour’, in Bengaluru on the theme ‘Universal Social Protection to End Child Labour’,on June 12, 2022.  Speaking on the occasion, Mr A H Umesh, Dy. Labour Commissioner, Bengaluru said, “Eradication of child labour is the responsibility of each and every citizen. Awareness campaigns and rescue operations are essential components in combating child labour.”  Fr. Varghese Pallipuram, Executive Director, BOSCO Bengaluru, opined that the majority of the children who land in Bengaluru city from other states are coming in search of jobs. Mr Santhosh Hipparagi and Devaraj, Asst. Labour Commissioners and Smt. Kokila Chandrashekar, Corporator, Chamarajpet Ward, Bengaluru spoke on the occasion.

There are thousands of child labourers in various parts of Bengaluru. This year BOSCO has rescued a hundred and twenty-seven child labourers of whom twenty-two of them were under 14 years of age and placed them back home. Thus, there was a call for increased investment in social protection systems and schemes to protect children from child labour. All the participants took an oath to stop child labour and inform the concerned officials through the child helpline if they were to find children being employed. Fr. Prasad SDB, Director, BOSCO Mane welcomed the gathering and Mr. Prasad KS, Programme Manager proposed the vote of thanks.

Rallies were organized in the Veerabhadranagar, Avalahalli, Girinagar, Buddha Park, Nagarbhavi, Devaraj Urs community, Sunday Market, KR Market and Shivajinagar areas of Bengaluru. The public was made aware of their responsibility to send children to school instead of pushing them into child labour. Distribution of pamphlets, shouting slogans and exhibiting placards were done to disseminate the message. Children and staff from BOSCO performed street plays to create awareness to the public about child labor at Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna Railway Station, BMTC Bus Stand, Majestic, Satellite Bus Stand, KR Market, and Gandhinagar areas. More than two thousand public were reached out to through the campaign.