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OUR
CHARTER
OF
DEMANDS
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Enforcement
of free and compulsory elementary education to ensure that
all children under the age of 14 avail themselves of quality
education based on a curriculum, which is socially relevant
and pedagogically sound and stimulating. The Government, rather
than the poor parents should assume responsibility for implementing
this. Urgent steps must be insisted to establish community
managed schools where such facilities are not available. All
schools, including the existing formal ones, should be run
on the model of neighbourhood schools.
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Given
the nexus between poverty and child labour, the parents of
child labourers should be covered by National Minimum Wages
norms at par with Government class IV employees. They should
be guaranteed at least 240 days of employment at National
Minimum Wage level. This is justified by Article 43 of our
Constitution.
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All
means of mass communication, particularly the Doordarshan
and Akashwani should disseminate all aspects of NMW in all
languages and dialects on regular basis and entertainingly
through folk art and music. This will empower the voiceless
and unorganized labour to galvanize and unionize themselves
and fight for a rightful place in society. The resources of
the mass media should also be used effectively to raise public
awareness concerning the evil of child labour and to motivate
the parents and the community at large to help all children
under 14 to attend schools, especially the girl children.
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Both
Government and the Civil society should be galvanized to abolish
the abominable caste system and fatalistic attitudes and socio-religious
customs which tend to perpetuate gender inequity.
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Last
but not the least, implementation of TOTAL PROHIBITION is
a must to eradicate poverty and child labour. (Article 47
of Indian Constitution)
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