Panchyati Raj and law Minister Arun Sahoo on Thursday urged all the stakeholders like Government agencies and NGOs to come forward to combat child labour practice in the State.
“Child-sensitive social protection systems mitigate the effects of poverty on families, strengthen families in their childcare role and enhance access to basic services for the poorest and most marginalised. So child-sensitive social protection systems are indispensable for combating child labour,” said the Minister, while participating in a panel discussion organsied by the People’s Cultural Centre (PECUC) in collaboration with Terre des hommes (G) and AEI to mark the World Day against Child labour.
PECUC secretary Ranjan Kumar Mohanty and trade union leader Souribandhu Kar expressed concern over the social issue of child labour and laid emphasis on providing more man-days under the MGNREGS.
Among others, Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights Member Rajendra Meher, OPEPA State Gender Coordinator Gayatri Samataray, State Child Protection Society Programme Manager Sumanta Nath and Khordha Child Protection Officer Banishree Patnaik highlighted various issues leading to child labour and urged the Government to stop the practice.