Bengaluru: Why simplistic understanding of child labour is dangerous

A heart-wrenching documentary film titled-- Forgotten On the Pyjama Trail-tells us why a simplistic understanding of child labour results in negative consequences for children. The film was made by Bengaluru-based NGO the Concerned for Working Children (CWC). The film was released on June 12 recently.

"The film is inspired by true events that took place in Morocco. Forgotten On The Pyjama Trail is a story narrated by a little girl, Fathima, who works in a Moroccan garment factory in order to support her family. She is one of the children who experiences a 'ban' as international communities gear up to rescue her and her ilk," said a press release issued by the CWC.

The city-based NGO has the distinction of being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
The animated docu - drama stresses on the need to have a holistic view on the entire issue. The story of Fathima focusses on importance of engaging child labourers to address their problems and concerns. Otherwise, most of the times decision-makers forget to take the opinion of these marginalized children, resulting in negative consequences for working children.

"It stresses on the need to listen to children and understand their experience of work from their unique contexts. The objective of the docu-drama and its release on the day that is globally observed as World Day against Child Labour is to highlight the challenges faced by working children and to lay emphasis on how important it is for the voices of children to be heard in policy formulation as opposed to the simplistic approach of demanding a ban or boycott of products in the production of which working children are involved. There is a need to re-open the debate and discussion around child labour and to involve working children in these processes," adds the press release.