The term child labour in Nagaland context is “domestic helper” said Neingu Kulnu, Co-ordinator of CHILDLINE Kohima while addressing the World Day Against Child Labour here at Oriental College, Kohima today.

Kulnu said the term child labour in Nagaland is actually a domestic helper which has now become a fashion and trend. Child labour in Naga society is very different because Nagas disguise it as an act of ‘kindness’, she added.

Nagas do not realise or discuss the fact that individuals bringing children from rural areas are indirectly child traffickers, as per the law, Kulnu asserted.

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She mentioned that many children, both girls and boys, from economically weaker families who are brought to Kohima and Dimapur on the pretext of education are physically and sexually abused. During the months from December to April, we get a lot of cases of lost and found children, domestic helpers who run away from their local guardians, the Co-ordinator of CHILDLINE Kohima stated.

On the occasion, Kulnu appealed people not to bring children from rural areas on the pretext of education and not to encourage those who are seeking for a child as a domestic helper.

Mention maybe made that in Kohima alone 200-300 cases of child abuse are reported in the CHILDLINE annually. From January 2023-May 2023 more than 60 cases have been reported.

Play on abuse of domestic helper

Earlier, Drama Club of Oriental College presented a drama based on abuse of a domestic helper.

The awareness program was organised by Drama Club and English Department, Oriental College, Kohima in collaboration with CHILDLINE Kohima under the theme ‘Social Justice for All. End Child Labour’.