DCPCR rescues 331 victims of child labour in 2020-21

The Delhi Commission For Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) has been involved in eliminating the menace of child labour and undertaking several measures in addition to its monitoring functions under different laws.

In the last quarter, DCPCR was involved in facilitating the rescue operations involving 202 children. These children belonging to different age groups have been rescued with the help of Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Delhi Police, Labour Department, ChildLine and Child Welfare Committee (CWC) from different places such as factories, bakery units, kharat machine units and auto center units, as well as residential colonies where the children were working as domestic servants.

Accordingly, the compounds have been sealed by the SDMs, and FIRs registered by the Delhi Police. These children have been produced before the Child Welfare Committees the same day which conducted their social investigation to trace families for their restoration and reintegration.

Non-payment of minimum wages, inordinately long working hours, and unhygienic working conditions emerged as the common pattern in most cases.

DCPCR has been involved in the rescue operations of 331 children in the year 2020-21. Further, in the preceding three years, DCPCR facilitated the rescue operations of 202 children over all. This is an increase of nearly 490% displaying DCPCR’s renewed commitment to eliminating child labour from Delhi.

It also becomes critical as the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent joblessness, and reduced family income have pushed children towards the menace of working for longer hours for meagre wages. Therefore, these children’s rehabilitation is very important. DCPCR is committed to tracking these children’s education enrolment, and the families involvement in different government schemes. DCPCR has initiated the process of payment of back-wages to these children who have been rescued so that their financial integration can begin immediately.

Anurag Kundu, Chairperson, DCPCR said that the menace of child labour can be curbed only through citizen reporting and therefore he strongly encouraged citizens to report instances of child labour through DCPCR’s WhatsApp number (9599001855). He highlighted DCPCR’s scheme of rewarding citizens who report instances of child labour.

DCPCR has an incentive scheme to reward citizens encouraging them to report. For each child labour reported and rescued successfully, DCPCR awards Rs. 1000/- cash prizes. Citizens can win upto Rs. 10,000/- for reporting child labour.