The appeal was to recognise the issue as a manifestation of larger socio-economic problems and to create political intent to eradicate it for good, including the root causes. This is possible. To achieve it, we need to link it to human right violations and deliver on the constitutional mandate of 'Free and Compulsary Right to Education' for every child in India.

Which is why, in cities like Mumbai, we try and mobilise people like you to pledge against child labour and demand rehabilitation for children in work. This is over and above our work in 2500 villages and slums across India, to make sure that government's health, education and employment schemes deliver their promises so that extreme poverty does not force children into labour.

Mayor Endorses the Charter

Commisioner accepting the Charter

On June 12, anti-child labour day, the campaign got a new lease of life with the Mumbai Mayor Shubha Raul signing on to end child labour. "In India, several children are forced into labour due to poverty or inadequate public health facilities.Every child has the right to childhood," she said.

The campaign's main focus was on the Labour Commissioner's office. In a bid to pressurize the local government authorities, the volunteers are sending a steady stream of letters (1300 and counting) to BD Sanap, Mumbai's Labour Commissioner. In a meeting on June 12, Shri Sanap shared that the government is primarily into 'raid and rescue' operations, and rehabilitation is not in focus right now, although their plan is to end child labour from all industries by 2010. Under persistent questioning from the volunteers, Mr Sanap reassured them that the Labour Department would do whatever they could to help volunteers in their efforts.