ET Q&A - `Students Need to Challenge Exploitation'
An enhanced focus on education, employ ability, entrepreneurship and ethics was Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi's advice to the government for creating a better country in an address to students at BITS Pilani. He encouraged students to work on tackling issues of child labour. In an interview with Anumeha Chaturvedi on the sidelines of his visit, Satyarthi spoke about his hopes from the new government on issues like right to education, his meeting with President Obama and how companies could work on child labour and exploitation under the ambit of corporate social responsibility.How can young students work towards addressing child labour and exploitation?
As people who are connected with the digital world and social media, students are aware of what's happening around them.They can easily express protest in just two or three words on social media if they see children being mistreated around them. If millions of young people start challenging exploitation, things will change. It will help in sensitising others, the government. It will hold society accountable.As consumers, they can refuse to accept the hospitality of places where young children are working. If educated students talk to people it will help in empowering those who feel disconnected and excluded. We can end social exclusion by simply connecting with them.
What can the new government do with regard to the right to education and child labour?
No government can enforce the right to education law without abolition of child labour. The right to education law has been passed several years ago. But millions of children remain outside schools and many of them drop out . That's a big problem.The government needs to work more proactively to devise ways to withdraw those children from abusive situations -from mining, factories and restaurants. So my demand from the new government and Parliament is that a pending amendment in child labour law has to be passed as soon as possible. Our demand is that all child labour has to be banned up to the age of 14 and all hazardous or the worst forms of child labour have to be prohibited up to the age of 18. The previous government had other political agendas. The present government is engaged in matters like foreign investment, which are important issues.
But how can you make your economy vibrant and your democracy successful without ensuring every single child is free from exploitation?
How was the meeting with Obama?
I met him as a fellow Nobel laureate. Besides, as president of the US, Obama is in a better position to put his weight behind issues like abolition of child slavery and ensure a non-violent and protective environment for children. Right after meeting me, he mentioned that the US and India should partner abolition of slavery and trafficking. This is one thing that can't be put aside and I hope the two governments can work together.
With the Companies Act ensuring mandatory spends on CSR, how can companies tackle issues of child labour and exploitation?
Sustainability doesn't lie in charity. Showing that you're good and being good is one thing and finding solutions to deep-rooted problems is another. I have been calling for more sustainable solutions from the corporate world to the problem of child labour with a sense of responsibility and not just charity and philanthropy.Companies must ensure that no child labour is involved in their supply chain. All the international brands have to ascertain this by sensitising their suppliers, producers and engaging and empowering them and making them transparent.
Opening schools and colleges is good, but if at the same time, if you employ children in production, who is responsible? They should invest more in sensitising suppliers and production chains.
As people who are connected with the digital world and social media, students are aware of what's happening around them.They can easily express protest in just two or three words on social media if they see children being mistreated around them. If millions of young people start challenging exploitation, things will change. It will help in sensitising others, the government. It will hold society accountable.As consumers, they can refuse to accept the hospitality of places where young children are working. If educated students talk to people it will help in empowering those who feel disconnected and excluded. We can end social exclusion by simply connecting with them.
What can the new government do with regard to the right to education and child labour?
No government can enforce the right to education law without abolition of child labour. The right to education law has been passed several years ago. But millions of children remain outside schools and many of them drop out . That's a big problem.The government needs to work more proactively to devise ways to withdraw those children from abusive situations -from mining, factories and restaurants. So my demand from the new government and Parliament is that a pending amendment in child labour law has to be passed as soon as possible. Our demand is that all child labour has to be banned up to the age of 14 and all hazardous or the worst forms of child labour have to be prohibited up to the age of 18. The previous government had other political agendas. The present government is engaged in matters like foreign investment, which are important issues.
But how can you make your economy vibrant and your democracy successful without ensuring every single child is free from exploitation?
How was the meeting with Obama?
I met him as a fellow Nobel laureate. Besides, as president of the US, Obama is in a better position to put his weight behind issues like abolition of child slavery and ensure a non-violent and protective environment for children. Right after meeting me, he mentioned that the US and India should partner abolition of slavery and trafficking. This is one thing that can't be put aside and I hope the two governments can work together.
With the Companies Act ensuring mandatory spends on CSR, how can companies tackle issues of child labour and exploitation?
Sustainability doesn't lie in charity. Showing that you're good and being good is one thing and finding solutions to deep-rooted problems is another. I have been calling for more sustainable solutions from the corporate world to the problem of child labour with a sense of responsibility and not just charity and philanthropy.Companies must ensure that no child labour is involved in their supply chain. All the international brands have to ascertain this by sensitising their suppliers, producers and engaging and empowering them and making them transparent.
Opening schools and colleges is good, but if at the same time, if you employ children in production, who is responsible? They should invest more in sensitising suppliers and production chains.
