Kailash Satyarthi calls cabinet nod to anti-child labour ILO conventions historic

New Delhi: Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi has welcomed the government's decision to ratify two fundamental conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to address concerns related to child labour. He has congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Ministry of Labour and Employment for the "historic reform". The Cabinet last week approved ratification of ILO convention 138--Minimum Age Convention which concerns minimum age for admission to employment--and Convention 182--Worst Form of Child Labour Convention which concerns prohibition and immediate action for elimination of the worst form of child labour.[caption id="attachment_1846215" align="alignleft" width="380"]

Kailash Satyarthi. Reuters[/caption]"India's decision for ratification of Convention 182 and Convention 138 was long overdue in providing justice to our children. After the total prohibition of child labour, this is yet another important step in protecting all our children from exploitation and abuse. "It now remains a collective responsibility of everyone to do their bit to remove the scourge of child labour from the country," Satyarthi said.India is a founder member of the International Labour Organization (ILO) which came into existence in 1919. At present, the ILO has 187 members. The principal means of action in the ILO is the setting up of international standards in the form of conventions, recommendations and protocol. India has so far ratified 45 conventions, out of which 42 are in force. Out of these four are fundamental or core conventions.Satyarthi has been a long time advocate for ratification of these ILO conventions and had been raising awareness on the issue through his campaign 'Global March Against Child Labour' which began in 1998. "This remarkable moment provides an opportunity for the country to make renewed commitment for ending forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking. Let this be the last generation that has been exploited in the name of illiteracy, poverty or helplessness," he said in a statement.