Mahesh Chhatoi

Over the past two decades, Odisha has put in a lot of effort to prevent child labor by implementing various laws. The Right to Education Act 2009 has made it mandatory for the state to ensure that children between the age of 6 to 14 years go to school and receive free education. Article 21A of the constitution of Odisha also provides education as a means to combat child domestic labor in India. The motive is to ensure that the children of Odisha live in economically stable families and get quality education at an appropriate age.

Combating Child Domestic Labor (CCDL), a Child Rights protection initiative, was undertaken by CYSD in 2017 to fight against child domestic labor in the Mayurbhanj District of Odisha in collaboration with Plan India.

The CCDL project was initiated in three main blocks of the Mayurbhanj District of Odisha, namely, Thakurmunda, Kaptipada and Jashipur. Children from these blocks work in different occupations, such as agriculture and allied works, collection and processing of minor forest produce, domestic work/help, etc. Children here are also made to engage in apprenticeship which is considered normal in the communities. Mute acceptance of these traditions due to financial instability caused by unforeseen situations has made the whole concept of child labor very normal and unquestioned.

The goal of the CCDL initiative is to prevent, protect and rehabilitate these children from domestic labor by strengthening community based child protection systems, by educating the children and helping their families become financially stable. CYSD also provided these children with educational kits to equip and encourage these children for going to school. CCDL project envisaged to create happiness amongst these young lives by sharing these kits with the underprivileged children of the society. For the past two years, CYSD has been successfully running the “Basic Educational Support Centres” drive in the project locations.

CYSD brought smiles to the faces of 1200 children in 2017-18 but, in 2018-19 it has increased by 600 children more. The Basic Educational Support Centres were provided with educational aid like blackboards, multilingual dictionaries, word books, maps, etc. The CCDL initiative received ample support from the village level Child Protection Committees, who influence the minds of the families of the children on a more personal level. “This is going to be the best help at this moment for these children and we will co-operate whole heartedly to make this activity a big success”, said one of the Child Protection Committees.