Fair Trade Forum-India, in association with Traidcraft Exchange and Centre for education and Communication organised a National Conference on Supply Chain Model for ‘NO CHILD LABOUR’ in Home Based Craft Sector on 8th Dec 2014 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi to disseminate the project outcomes and best practices and a cultural event on 9th Dec 2014 at Gandhi Smriti, Rajghat, New Delhi.
The Conference was an overwhelming success, attracting 130 delegates and speakers from all over India including Government, EU Delegation in India, Corporates, Fair Trade organisations, Educational institutions and NGOs, and provided great intellectual and social interaction for the participants.
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five vital components of the project model were taken up in the sessions-Wages & Social Security; Public Provisioning; Supply Chain Management; Awareness & Participation; Education and Schooling. Each session had a presenter on which experts gave their views, suggestions and ideas on each of the project model components. The discussions focussed on the importance of bridge schools, supply chain, social security, wages and need for separate laws to tackle child labour in home based craft sector.
The cultural program-‘Aao Manaye Bachpan’ on 9th Dec 2014 was a fun-filled event for the children of the learning Centres under the fight against child labour project. Ms Manimala, Director, Gandhi Smriti Darshan Samiti inaugurated the event by lighting of lamp along with President Iytha Mallikarjuna and Mr. J. John from CEC.
There were various performances put up by the children like dance, group songs and skit. An NGO called Apni Koshish also performed a street play for the children. ‘Shiddat’a music band also performed for the children. It was an enthralling evening for everyone. People also became nostalgic and shared about their own childhood and youth days. A short documentary was also shown on the plight of families and children who are involved in home based craft work and how the project has made an intervention to provide them sustainable livelihoods and education to the children.
The objective of this project was “To develop an effective model for addressing child labour issues in the home-based crafts sector in India, and gain the support of key stakeholders to ensure the implementation of this model”. Fair Trade Forum India partnered with Traidcraft, UK and CEC, New Delhi along with eight implementing partners in Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The three year project is supported by European Union.
The outcomes of this project are very useful for Ministry of Textiles and DC (Handicrafts) and Handlooms in engaging international and national brands and exporters to address the issue of Child Labour in home based craft sector in India.