Child Labor Contributes towards Poverty; Says Minister

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.patnadaily.com/news2008/june/062708/seminar_on_child_labor.html

Patna: June 27, 2008

Labor Employment and Training Minister Awadhesh Narayan Singh, at a seminar on child labor in Bihar on Friday said situation in the state was improving everyday and the government was committed to bring an end to child labor in the state while providing educational opportunities to them so they do not have to work as manual labors like their parents.

The minister said child labor was one of the key factors in contributing towards widespread poverty in rural areas and had to be dealt with at a war-footing level.



State Child Labor Commission chairperson Ramdeo Prasad, in his delivery, said while several new laws had been passed to eradicate child labor in the state, much is needed in the area of rehabilitation and more study was required to determine the extent of child labor in Bihar.

"Our children are not only being used as ordinary labors, they are also being used in smuggling and child trafficking and are forced to work as bonded labors," Prasad said.

Kailash Satyarthi, the founder of 'Bachpan Bachao Andolan', an NGO dedicated to children welfare, praised the Nitish government of taking the ills of child labor seriously and adopting appropriate measures to reduce it in the state.

"By bringing an end to child labor, more than 18 crore adults worldwide could gain employments," Satyarthi said.