Vivek is a 12-year-old who wants to do homework! And yet he’s being kept away from school. Unscrupulous money-lenders force Vivek's father to make him work in the family occupation - cobbling.

Vivek is bright and intelligent and he knows what he wants, “I don’t want to work. I want to wear a uniform, do my homework and study. I want to go to school like all children I see on the street”.

But he may never be able to live the life of his dreams.

This year the government amended the Child Labour Act, making it legal to employ children in family-enterprises, audio-visual entertainment, and 80 occupations that were earlier listed as hazardous for children.

Now slaughter houses, foundries, brick kilns, chemical mixing factories, welding, beedi-rolling, battery-recycling and more can legally employ children like Vivek. Over 90% of India's child labour has been sanctioned by law!

This is a complete betrayal of the government’s duty to take care of Vivek and children like him. Sign my petition and tell the Prime Minister to review and change these amendments to the Child Labour Act.

There are lakhs of children like Vivek in India. Their childhood is under threat and their future in danger.

Vivek says, “If I get the chance to become police officer, I will buy a good house and fresh food for my family. I also won’t let any child work. I will put everyone at school to study and learn.”

Sign my petition and let’s make sure Vivek gets a chance to go to school. Children like Vivek are the future of this country. Let’s give them the childhood they deserve.

Thank you for taking action,

Ruchira Gupta, Apne Aap Women Worldwide and The Last Girl campaign
Malini Bhattacharya, AIDWA
Harsh Mander, Aman Biradari
Colin Gonsalves, Human Rights Law Network (HRLN)
Chitra Sarkar, All India Women’s Conference
Tinku Khanna, Apne Aap Women Worldwide
Kirti Singh, AIDWA
Vimal Thorat, All India Dalit Mahila Adhikar Manch
Gloria Steinam, Feminist Activist
Bharti Ali, HAQ-Centre for Child Rights
P Joseph Victor Raj, Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL)
Nandita Das, Indian Film Actress, Director and an Activist
Dr. John Dayal, a noted human rights activist
Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, MP, Bolangir, Odisha
Alice Walker, winner of Pulitzer Prize in Fiction in 1983, the National Book Award, and an Activist