January 21, 2014, New Delhi

Global March Against Child Labour has for long advocated for amending the anti-child labour law of India. Supporting Global March in this initiative has been its Indian partner organisation Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA).

With the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour upholding most of the recommendations made by Global March and BBA during the deposition last May, all eyes are now on the Parliament of India to take up the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill for vote and discussion and finally pass it in the best interest of millions of children who continue to languish under exploitation across the country.

Kailash Satyarthi, Chairperson Global March Against Child Labour and Founder BBA met the Union Minister of Labour and Employment, Oscar Fernandes in New Delhi late last evening and handed over a letter of appeal to the minister for expeditious and unhindered passage of the amendment bill in the Parliament. The labour minister reaffirmed his support for the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill.

Once the child labour law is amended, India would stand in a good stead to ratify two of the long pending core ILO conventions namely 138 on minimum age of employment and 182 on worst forms of child labour.

This affirmation by the Labour Minister is a major boost to civil society in India that has been fighting for a strong law to eliminate child labour.

To read the letter submitted to Minister of Labour and Employment, Government of India, please click here.