CHENNAI: The International Justice Mission (IJM) on Tuesday launched a short film on child bonded labour, commemorating Tamil Nadu government’s initiative to announce February 9 as Bonded Labour System Abolition Day. Titled “Dreaming to fly,” the film, traces the journey of a child who was trafficked being rescued.
Tamil Nadu is the first State to declare this initiative in a bid to eradicate bonded labour, said Merlin Freeda, Director of Operations, IJM. MA Britto, the director, Vaan Muhil and co-convenor, Shout for Freedom Coalition, addressed the event and pointed that very few rescues lead to conviction and there is a need to better implement laws to prevent perpetrators from bonding those vulnerable.
Krishnan, executive director, Foundation for Sustainable Development, said that one of the first routes to abolishing bonded labour would require teaching the constitution to children in schools. He said that February 9 was chosen as former Indian President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed promulgated an ordinance called the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) in 1975, during the emergency.
Justice S Baskaran Chairperson State Human Rights Commission, and Seema Agrawal, Additional Director General of Police Crime against Women and Children distributed “Champions of Justice” awards to persons from the judiciary, law enforcement agencies, media and social sector. The International Justice Mission presented the “Champion of Justice Award” to Senior Reporter Sushmitha Ramakrishnan from The New Indian Express.