KOHIMA: The Kohima District Task Force (DTF) on Child Labour launched the Pan-India Rescue and Rehabilitation Campaign 4.0 on Monday, as part of the nationwide initiative of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
As part of the campaign, an intensive awareness programme is being conducted across schools in Kohima district from August 24 to 28, sensitising students and teachers on child labour, child rights and the importance of education.
As on August 25, the awareness programme has so far covered Government Middle School (GMS) L. Khel, GMS P. Khel, GMS Merhulietsa and GMS New Minister’s Hill, reaching students and teachers across the four schools. The DTF will continue the awareness drive in more schools during the campaign period.
The programme highlighted the provisions of the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, particularly the prohibition of employment of children below 14 years and adolescents aged 14–18 years in hazardous occupations and processes. Participants were also sensitised on the penalties, including imprisonment and fines, for employers violating the provisions of the Act.
ALSO READ: Kohima Launches Pan-India Rescue and Rehabilitation Campaign 4.0 Against Child Labour
Teachers were encouraged to closely monitor school attendance and report cases where a child remains absent from school consecutively for 15 days to the concerned authorities for timely intervention.
Following the awareness campaign, the Kohima DTF will undertake inspections and rescue operations to identify children and adolescents engaged in prohibited employment and facilitate appropriate rehabilitation and follow-up action.
The DTF appealed to the public, schools, parents and communities to actively support the campaign and report suspected cases of child labour, with the collective objective of making Kohima a child-labour-free district.
