Activist seeks complete ban on child labour in India

An Indian activist, who recently won a top American fellowship as an emerging leader, said she wants a complete ban on child labour in India.
"I plan to urge them (Indian Government), to pass the amendment to the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act at the earliest to completely ban child labour, to ensure that children are able to lead a nutritious life free from hunger, to ensure that no birth in the country takes place without a skilled birth attendant, and that we successfully implement these recommendations at the earliest,"Shailey Hingorani said.
Hingorani, who currently works as National Coordinator for Policy and Advocacy at Save the Children based in New Delhi, early this month was felicitated by Tara Sonenshine, the US Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.

As we honour Hingorani's achievements, we recognise that while individuals can make great contributions, we have to work in partnership to meet the great challenges that face each of us and each of our countries, Soneshine had said.
"I'm deeply honoured to have received the distinguished professional alumni award especially because it has been given to me in recognition of the work that I have done around the rights of marginalised children in India," she told PTI.
Hingorani said this award gave her an opportunity to share the progress that India is making in the field of child rights especially in universalising the Integrated Child Development Scheme, in providing the right to education to children between the ages of 6-14 years, and in setting up district and state level child protection systems.

"Having said which, I hope this award will also serve to be a reminder of the long journey ahead of us to ensure that child rights in India must be underwritten by quality equitable access to public services to all children and early investments in children to enable them to fully enjoy their rights," she said.
As a legislative fellow, Hingorani worked with an Ohio Senator, during which she said she was able to hone her advocacy skills to better communicate policy proposals that has the potential to make a real difference to the lives of marginalised children in the country.

"As a result of this fellowship, I was able to utilise the connections that I had made in the US, and promote cross-country learning on how to address new-born deaths and maternal mortality," she said.