Dear friends across India,
As families around the world buy holiday gifts, millions of Indian children are slaving away in brutal conditions to produce their presents and decorations. But in days India’s Parliament could pass a ban on child labour, and stop their suffering.
Children as young as five are snatched up by traffickers and forced to work 12 hour days in cramped sweatshops, often not knowing if they’ll ever see their parents again. A bill to ban underage labour is on the table in Parliament, and stands to get majority support. But it’s been stalled by a fuss over another issue. In days child rights groups will meet Parliamentary leaders to bust the logjam, and if tens of thousands of us from India and across the world strengthen their hand, we can get this critical law agreed.
India’s children should be getting an education, not slaving away to profit heartless corporations. Sign the petition to get Parliamentarians to stop their squabbles and agree a ban child labour under 14 years and harmful work under 18 years:
Child labour is a global issue — 215 million children around the world work in mines, quarries, and factories. More than half are them are living under threat of violence. Chocolate, clothes, jewelry, electronics we use, and even Christmas and New Year decorations – all get produced by these children.
India has one of the highest number of child labourers in the world. Local child welfare groups are lobbying the Indian Parliament to pass a proposed amendment to the child labour laws that would ban all forms of child labour under 14 years, all harmful work under 18 years, eliminate school fees, create stipends for girls, and more stringent enforcement of child labour laws — all measures that would put children back into school, and set a path out of poverty for India’s most vulnerable.
We only have a few days to save these children from a bleak future — Parliament can decide this week whether a child’s place is in school or in slavery. Sign the petition to MPs, then send this widely:
The Avaaz community has rallied for the most vulnerable, time and time again. While many of us plan end of year family gatherings, let’s take a stand for the future of India’s suffering children.
With hope and determination,
Alex, Alaphia, Michelle, Ricken, Dalia, Rewan and the whole Avaaz team
