Voices Unheard

“What if you cannot speak, I will lend you my voice

Speak as you never spoke, get up and rise”

This was supposed to be the first post for this website but it took me time for me to interpret the meaning well...’RAISE YOUR VOICE’ or RAISE MY VOICE or RAISE OUR VOICE?

I interpret the phrase ‘RAISE YOUR VOICE’ in two ways. Firstly, ‘my’ voice or ‘our’ voice can be heard some or the other way as we are among the ’few’ lucky ones to speak, we have the privilege of being heard and then acquire what we spoke. But there are many whose voice cannot be heard so this is a platform we will use for these ‘many’ and to give them a message that together we will RAISE YOUR VOICE through us. We will be the channel to raise your voices and concerns, as far as possible in the best possible manner. My voice is more for personal uses or desires and lesser known concerns but your voice will be for the more vital concerns. Secondly the message is for all of us. Each One Raise Your Voice for all unheard causes. All of you raise important concerns, bring to light important issues, give suggestions and raise your voice against the inequalities, prejudice, inhuman activities of the society.

“When you are born you cry, I cry

Now you cry, don’t move a passerby”

I will continue with the first cause already being discussed i.e. Child Labour. It is the menace which demands attention not at a particular region of the country but spreads throughout the country, although in different proportions. According to UNICEF guidelines and definitions, taking percentage of children aged 5 to 14 years of age involved in child labour activities at the moment of the survey, the percentage of children involved in child labour comes out to be 12 percent. Breaking all norms of gender inequality, the percentage is same if we take male children and female children separately as well.

A child is considered to be involved in child labour activities under the following classification: (a) children 5 to 11 years of age that during the week preceding the survey did at least one hour of economic activity or at least 28 hours of domestic work, and (b) children 12 to 14 years of age that during the week preceding the survey did at least 14 hours of economic activity or at least 42 hours of economic activity and domestic work combined.

This statistic is an eye opener for all of us who bank always on laws to solve all social, economic problems. The fact that the National Policy on Child Labour was formulated since 1987 proves this. The Policy seeks to adopt a gradual & sequential approach with a focus on rehabilitation of children working in hazardous occupations & processes in the first instance. Further amendments in 10^th Plan were aimed to eliminate child labour. The coverage of the NCLP Scheme has increased from 12 districts in 1988 to 100 districts in the 9^th Plan to 250 districts during the 10^th Plan.

My point to show these statistics was that we cannot further rely only on laws to curb this issue. It requires a lot of thought process to be involved for finding ways to contribute in our own way to bring some change in tackling with child labour. We see child labour all around us, be it the one serving us at a local restaurant or dhaba, or a cleaner in a bus, or the one working at a construction site. We cannot wait for laws to come and stop them or those employing them. We have to get up, shout so that we can show the children we care for them and we will surely if you cannot RAISE YOUR VOICE!!!