Bonded labour convention demands amendment in Act

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Jalandhar, Mar 11 (UNI) The three-day national convention on bonded labour concluded here today with a 'Jalandhar Declaration', to end bonded labour.

In the declaration, the participants urged the government to amend the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1977 (BLSAA), to make it more relevant and contemporary as in the last 30 years it failed to abolish bonded labour from the country completely.

The convention, which was organised by a forum of four organisations the Centre for Education and Communication, New Delhi, Dalit Dasta Virodhi Andolan, Punjab, Jeeta Vimukti Karnataka and Jan Jagriti Kendra, Chhattisgarh, was attended by nearly 600 participants from across the counrty.

The convention requested the government to constitute a judicial review committee on BLSAA and further resolved to constitute a review committee from civil society to suggest changes.

The participants also decided to evolve a focussed programme to remove bonded labour from brick kilns---a part of the booming construction industry in India by 2015 and constitute an education fund for children, in particular the girl child, with an objective to end bonded child labour.

The convention held that bonded labourers are entitled to civil, social and economic rights guaranteed under the Constitution of India including the right to freedom of expression, right to organise, right to livelihood, as well as labour rights such as living wages, bargaining power and right to form unions.

The participants urged the Centre and state governmnents to protect and promote these rights, ''We collectively resolve to end bonded labour by organising workers, ensuring protection of their civil, economic and cultural rights and forging wider alliances,'' a resolution moved at the convetion said.

UNI

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