A bill currently in the Indian Parliament on child labour totally will be a "test" of the new government on how they take the issues of the most exploited children in their political priority, says child rights campaigner and Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi. Satyarthi, 61, was referring to an amendment to the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act that will lead to a total ban on all forms of child labour up to the age of 14 and ban on worst forms of child labour involving hazardous work up to the age of 18.
"Also, rehabilitation must be ensured in law and only then, the law will be synchronised with the existing international ILO (International Labour Organisation) conventions. We are waiting... it would be a test of the present government on how they take the issues of the most exploited children in their political priority," he said.
Acknowledging some positive steps taken by the Narendra Modi government - that came to power last year, he said: "The present government is taking several bold initiatives on the social agenda, be it Swachh Bharat or Clean India or be it Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao.
These are very, very fundamental social initiatives which are being taken by the government and the Prime Minister himself, and are quite significant.
"I have spoken to the Prime Minister that while we are striving at making a Clean India or a Prosperous India, it can be sustainable only when we make it a child-friendly India. Sustainability and protection of children are two sides of the same coin.
If we invest in children now, we make society sustainable forever."
In an interview with PTI during a visit to London to help launch a new Anti-Trafficking Fund by Prince Charles' British Asian Trust earlier this week, the activist also called on Indians, wherever they are, to go a step further in their support for child rights in India.
"Global Indians can play an important role not only in India but globally. But maybe to begin with, in India because they feel more emotionally connected with Indian society.
"They have to show the leadership in taking risks sometimes despite some of the red-tapism or trust deficit.
They have to go a mile further in identifying the most precious issues because if the largest democracy in the world is having child slavery or (child) trafficking or (child) labour, then we cannot think of a shining image of India," he noted.
His message for the corporate world was similar – to develop a culture of social responsibility so that the government does not feel the need to make corporate social responsibility (CSR) a legal requirement.
He said: "Forced CSR could be a beginning but it is not a solution. CSR should be a culture, not an imposition, because social responsibility is something which has to be embedded in corporate behaviour not just through law.
