Three youth leaders and children from Jharkhand, who were forced to live in bondage and deprivation of child labour, have emerged from the darkness of child labour to become catalysts of social change. They once toiled in the mica mines in exchange for a few morsels of food. But now they are leading the fight against child labour. Another young girl from a marginalised family is now spearheading the movement against child marriage. These four children were felicitated by Bhupender Yadav, union minister of labour on the eve of June 12, the World Day Against Child Labour.
“Kailash Satyarthi is making remarkable efforts for children from across the globe. We are glad to meet the child leaders and hear about the efforts being made by them for building a child-friendly world. Society will change due to the constant efforts of these children. We will provide full support to the children in their efforts. We have visited the villages in Jharkhand and are aware of the situation on the ground,” Yadav said while appreciating the efforts made by the children.
Apart from the three youth leaders from Jharkhand, four others also received appreciation from the minister. These include three former child labourers from Rajasthan: Rajesh Jatav, Amar Lal and Tara Banjara, who recently represented India in the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO’s) fifth global conference on the elimination of child labour in Durban. Other change makers, recognised for their efforts, were Payal Jangid, also from Rajasthan and Surjeet Lodhi, from Bidisha district in Madhya Pradesh, who is a recipient of the prestigious UK-based Diana award.
Nikita Kumari, from Dhab village in Koderma district, used to scavenge in the abandoned mica mines and dig out scraps from the age of eight years. She was forced to work to supplement the income of her family, comprising her parents and four siblings. She was subsequently rescued by Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) activists-a sister organisation of Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation (KSCF)-and enrolled in a school.
Other former child labourers from Jharkhand, felicitated by the union minister, include Neeraj Murmu and Champa Kumari.