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Background
AID-UK
and AID India have together
developed a strategic plan over four years to further
contribute to achieving the vision of the elimination of child
labour in carpet units in the District of Garwah.
Whilst all children engaged in the carpet industry are fully aware
of the efforts made to get them released and into part time or
full time education, only about 5,000 of the original 11,000 have
actually enrolled in any form of education leaving 6,200 still
engaged as child labour in the carpet factories.
This harsh realisation caused both AID UK and India to evaluate
the programmes undertaken in recent years, looking at the many
organisations that have, throughout the region, come into
existence and established themselves as forces to be reckoned with
in their pursuit of human rights i.e. education, health, poverty
relief, improvement in living standards etc. The development of children into adolescence and further maturity has now led to the establishment of the child forums organisation to enable children to organise for themselves strategies and actions to promote their many causes and reverse their many deprivations through the help of agencies, other self help organisations, communities, local government etc.
The project commenced this year and will continue for four years. It will support 1350 young carpet working children between the ages of 12 and 20 currently working in the industry to exercise their rights in obtaining education and financial support whilst at the same time being released from the industry by their employers whether engaged under normal or bondage terms of employment. This will be carried forward through the child led, child friendly and self-sustainable child organisations i.e. 45 forums, 3 clusters and 1 district federation and will ensure greater autonomy to claim their right to life, freedom from bondage and hazardous work and right to education. These organisations have been set up by the project and are part of the second phase of AID's action against child labour in the Garwah District.
Activities
The
project has now completed its first year and the activities
planned and implemented are outlined below:
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Leadership
training to 300 working children to nurture their social,
organizational, and communicational skills (life skills,
organizational and social mobilization, advocacy,
and social action skills) to claim their rights with
employers and governments.
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Creating
45 carpet child workers village forums, cluster and district
forums, organizing regular meetings, promoting saving,
networking with other child rights forums and generally
strengthening these.
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Promotion
of child-to-child human rights education, child to parent
education, child to community education and child to adult
education.
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Campaign
and advocacy and action against child labour through child
worker’s forums.
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Alternative
vocational training in automobile, electrical and welding for
duration of six months to one year to 100 children in each
year to move them to safe employment.
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Networking,
alliance building and maximum utilisation of government
programmes
Some
of the more important achievements which the project accomplished
this year and grouped into areas of activity, were :
Objectives
The
aim is achievement of rights of carpet working children / youth to
education, freedom from bondage and hazardous work through
self-sustainable child / youth worker's forums.
The main objective is achievement of leadership among young carpet
working people/children for enhanced participation in
decision-making, greater autonomy, solidarity and action for
policy change, reduction of child labour and alternative
employment through child led initiatives.
The project has now completed its second year, placing
greater emphasis on ownership of problems, multiplying self help
and social actions :
by the youth - for the youth - with the youth.
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