How We Started 

The Concerned for Working Children (CWC) have been working in the field of child labour since 1980. In its early years, CWC was involved in the unionisation of the informal sector where children below the age of 14 years comprised nearly 40 per cent of the total work force. These children, who in many ways were more militant than the adult members were deeply disappointed when they found that the agreements as a result of collective bargaining had not given them any benefits as laws did not recognise them. They wanted to change the law to one that recognised them as workers and protected them as children at the same time. The children and the members of the union embarked on an exercise to draft an alternative legislation for working children in 1985.  

The children approached the question from the premise that the reasons why they worked could not be changed and proceeded to address the work situation. The adult office bearers of the union approached the problem from a different angle as they were not willing to accept the causes of children's work as given. They wanted to find ways to tackle these by inducing structural changes. These two visions were integrated and a Draft Bill was developed.  

In 1985, the Central Labour Ministry agreed to convert the draft into an official Bill of the Ministry. In 1986 the official Bill was presented to the Central Cabinet for approval. A watered down version of this draft was presented to Parliament and passed in October 1986. Though the Legislation was fraught with loopholes and definition al difficulties, it did generate a major debate on child work in independent India for the first time. The children also proved that they could engage in policy debates and make major contributions in this area.  

CWC registered as a society in 1985 and for the last decade and a half has been working on the issue of child labour. Its objectives are to work with children, their families as well as the larger communities so as to be able to declare areas as child labour free and also create supportive structures that are able to sustain a child rights friendly social transformation. CWC target age group is working children below the age of 18. Initially CWC began its operations by working with children employed in hotels and restaurants in Bangalore, and over the years has expanded its outreach to include working children in urban as well as rural areas in Karnataka. It is currently working in 9 rural panchayats spread across 4 districts in Karnataka, spread across the diverse physical and economic landscapes of coastal Udipi, mountainous Uttara Kanara, and the plains of Bellary, and Davangere as well as the urban slums of Bangalore city. Further, drawing upon its experiences with mobilizing children at the grassroots levels, CWC has also emerged as a vocal child advocacy group at the state, national, and international level.

Timeline

1985 – The Concerned for Working Children registered as a Society – the main focus was on critiquing and understanding the problem of working children and recognising the importance of working with them and listening to what they have to say.

1986 – Launch of the urban programme – Ankur -- in Bangalore city.

1989 – Establishment of the Centre for Applied Research and Documentation in Bangalore (CARD) in response to a need for an information base on the issue of child labour by CWC as well as other organizations working on similar issues.

1989 – Bhima Patrike – a wall newspaper is brought out by and for working children, to give them a voice and a forum to speak out.

1989 – Gramashrama, the rural programme, begins in Udipi.

1990 – Creation of Bhima Sangha – a union of, by and for working children. Current membership stands at 13,000.

1991 – Varahi Parichaya, a landmark social mapping exercise by the children of Kundapur to understand the link between their lives and environmental degradation and economic decline.

1991 – Namma Angadi – a marketing organisation managed by Bhima Sangha members (now also by Namma Sabha members) to interface with the local market and also the outside world.

1991 – Bhima Kala Ranga – a cultural wing of Bhima Sangha that engages members in theatre, music and folk art. Participation in these programmes not only enhances the self-esteem and self-confidence of children, it also serves as a powerful vehicle for community education.

1992 – launch of a rural economic regeneration programme "old roots new shoots".

1992 – CWC is one of the founding members and director of the International Working Group on Child Labour (IWGCL).

1993 – Establishment of Namma Bhoomi a residential education and training programme for working children in Kundapur, Udipi.

1995 – Launch of the Dhudio Makkala (working children) Toofan Programme:

    • Children’s Panchayat (Makkala Panchayat) – an organisation of children (school- going and out of school) where they elect their representatives. This is positioned as an apolitical and non-partisan structure than can interface with the government and local bodies and give children a voice in governance.
    • Panchayat-level task force (tripartite body of government functionaries, elected representatives, local leaders and children). This is positioned as a non-partisan body that can carry the voices of the children into structures of governance.
    • Taluk-level task force (tripartite body of government functionaries, elected representative, local NGOs and other community organisations of adults, and Makkala Panchayat, the organisation of children.)
    • Appropriate Education Programme – revitalising the existing schools by working with teachers, alternative school (extension school) for children who cannot attend the formal school and extension Anganwadi Programme for pre-school age children. This is positioned as a series of interventions that enhance children’s access to education, make the existing system sensitive and responsive to their problems and needs, and improve the quality of education within the formal system by working with teachers and the educational administration.

1995 – A "working children’s forum" facilitated by CWC to enable working children across the country to critique the CRC in India and respond to it in the form of a Working Children’s Report (1998).

1996 – Asia regional conference of 5,000 children is held in Bangalore in April 1996 followed by an international meeting of working children in Kundapur in November-December 1996 and results in the drafting of the Kundapur Declaration.

1997 – Working children invited as delegates to the ILO conference on child labour in Amsterdam and in Oslo in 1998

1997 – Establishment of Namma Sabha – an organisation for Bhima Sangha members who cross the age barrier of 18 years. This is positioned as an organisation that grows out of the Bhima Sangha, supports children and also represents their members and gives them a collective voice.

1998 – Identification of women’s self-help groups (SHGs) as local partners in working children’s struggle towards equality.

1999 – Balkur is officially declared to be "child labour free".

1999 – National Movement of Working Children launched

2000 - The first issue of Bhima Vani (audio magazine) is produced by the member of Namma Sabha with assistance from CWC.

2000 – Creation of DHRUVA with its objectives of providing training, consultancy, and advocacy.

Back