The involvement of children in the supply chains, marketing chains, disposal chains, and servicing processes caused their exploitation is an established fact. In this era of globalisation where Indian market is also integrated with global market there was a need of an international standard audit system in these areas.
In order to establish this mechanism National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and Quality Council of India (QCI) have signed the MoU to ensure the industries and sectors are free of child labour and help achieving the target 8.7 of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, which calls on governments around the world to end child labour by 2025.
The inking of MoU saw representation of Priyank Kanoongo, Chairperson, NCPCR; Rupali Bannerjee Singh, Member, Secretary, NCPCR, G.Suresh Asst. Director and Dushyant Meher, Consultant, NCPCR and officers from NCPCR and Ravi P. Singh, Secretary General, Manish Pande, Director and Head, PADD, Arul Jason, Project Associate, Reeti Mahobe, Junior Associate, from the QCI.
Conducting child labour audits/fact findings in different sectors and industries is an initiative with the objective towards Atmanirbhar Bharat. This is being done for the first time to develop an international standard audit system for these chains. If all the processes are audited, children are safe and their rights are ensured.
Ravi P. Singh, Secretary General, QCI, said that India must not always rely on foreign NGOs and organizations to audit such important social and cultural issues in many cases. India has its own audit agencies which are treated at par with the international system yet our dependence on foreign entities throws open the challenges of data privacy, political strategy and even blackmail by vested interests. He thanked NCPCR for their consistent support in terms of delineating scope of association. The MoU marks the beginning of firm commitment in protection of child rights in industry sector and consolidation of Indian industry in the global trade through a third party assessment system implemented by QCI.
