Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma and the Assam Police took a pledge to end child labour in the state, while observing World Day Against Child Labour on Saturday.
World Day Against Child Labour, aims to raise awareness about the illegal employment practice and also talk about the ways to eradicate it completely, will be observed today globally.
It was launched by the International Labour Organization (ILO), an agency of the United Nations, in 2002. This year's theme is 'Act now: End child labour'.
"On #WorldDayAgainstChildLabour, we take a pledge to nurture the dreams of every young child and bring an end to forced labour. We have to fulfill the hopes and aspirations of every child of this nation," Dr. Sarma tweeted.
While, Assam Police tweeted, "Children deserve to be nurtured and not exploited. Any form of child labour is a crime and it's our duty to raise our voices against it. Call 1098 Childline or your local Police station to report child labour".
In an infographic shared by the Police force, mentioned that violation of the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 could lead to imprisonment from six months to two years with a fine of Rupees 20,000 to 50,000.
According to the latest report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and UNICEF, child labour has risen to 160 million worldwide – an increase of 8.4 million children in the last four years – with millions more at risk due to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.