ILAB News Release: [02/17/2004] Contact Name: Mike
Biddle Phone Number: (202) 693-5051
Labor Department Launches U.S.India Child Labor
Project
NEW DELHI, IndiaThe Department of Labor (DOL), the
International Labor Organization (ILO) and the government of India today
launched a $40 million project to combat exploitive and hazardous child labor
in India.
This project will remove children from exploitive conditions,
provide educational alternatives for child laborers, and increase awareness of
laws in India that restrict child labor practices, said U.S. Secretary of
Labor Elaine L. Chao. We appreciate the Indian governments
partnership with our Departments worldwide effort to eliminate the worst
forms of child labor. Now we need to get to work and get results.
Dubbed the INDUS project, this new cooperative venture is
the Departments largest international technical assistance program. Its
goal is to help eliminate child labor in ten hazardous industries in India,
including: cigarette-making; brassware; bricks; fireworks; footwear; bangles;
locks; matches; quarried stones; and silk. In addition, India has agreed to
conduct a review of existing child-labor elimination efforts in the
carpet-making industry.
The INDUS project will draw from the International Labor
Organizations International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor
(IPEC) and other organizations experience, to achieve immediate and
lasting results in eliminating child labor in hazardous industries. The U.S.
DOL will also work with Indias Ministry of Labors National Child
Labor Projects and its Department of Educations Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
(Education for All) program, which seeks to ensure universal primary education
for children ages 6-14 by the year 2010.
U.S. DOL and the government of India have dedicated $20 million each
toward the project. By prior agreement, the Departments contribution to
the program will be administered by IPEC. The project will be implemented in 20
districts in the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and
Uttar Pradesh.
In August 2000, U.S. DOL and the Indian Ministry of Labor signed a Joint
Statement of Enhanced Cooperation on the Elimination of Child Labor. The
agreement committed both nations to support an ILO/IPEC project to eliminate
child labor in specified hazardous industries.
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