UNICEF's poster girl working as maid

Ten-year-old Chunchun Kumari's face stares at you from UNICEF's evocative poster, asking for an end to child labour.

It's part of the nationwide drive launched from October 10 this year after the government ban on child labour in homes and restaurants came into effect.

However, in a crude reality, Chunchun, an illiterate, is still working as a maid in a roadside dhaba in Patna.

Bitter irony

In their campaign against child labour, UNICEF has pasted posters bearing Chunchun's photograph all over Bihar.

But this young girl is still unaware of it except for the fact that it's her photograph and Chunchun has no other option but to support her family for a living.

"My parents are poor. That's why I have to work to support my family," she said.

Chunchun's parents say there has been no help from the UNICEF so far.

"The UNICEF authorities say that they want to abolish child labour. They clicked my daughter's photograph a month back. But they haven't helped my daughter. Since I am a poor person, I've no other option but to let my daughter work in a roadside eatery," said Baleshwar Das, Chunchun's father.

No compensation

However, UNICEF authorities say there was no agreement to compensate Chunchun's family in lieu of using her photograph for the poster.

"It's true that in our campaign against child labour, we have used a child's photograph. But that's just for the campaign, she is not our brand ambassador," countered Anupam Srivastav, Director (Communications), UNICEF, Patna.

Chunchun is still working as a child labour even though the UNICEF and the state government have used her as a brand ambassador in their fight against child labour.

It's a crushing reality of how serious the government is in its effort to curb child labour.

Source NDTV

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