A two-day inter-state dialogue on child labour and safe migration opened at the Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration (SPIPA) in Gandhinagar on 16 June 2025, with representatives from six states calling for stronger coordination to ensure children of migrant workers are not left without education, healthcare or protection. The event, held on World Day Against Child Labour, brought together officials from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, alongside child rights organisations and subject experts.

Key Concerns Raised at the Dialogue

Gujarat Labour, Skill Development and Employment Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya said migration was essential to India's economic growth but frequently exposed children to heightened risks of exploitation, trafficking and child labour. 'Safe migration and the elimination of child labour is a social, economic and humanitarian responsibility that all of us must fulfil together,' he said, urging that labour policy extend beyond administrative structures to reach every worker's family and child.

Bavaliya acknowledged that Gujarat, as one of India's leading industrial states, attracts lakhs of workers from across the country. However, he warned that migration often disrupts children's schooling, limits access to healthcare and leaves many outside social security and child protection systems — conditions that can give rise to child labour and trafficking.

State Action Plans and Coordination Mechanisms

Chairperson of the Gujarat State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Dharmishtha Gajjar, described child labour as a direct assault on children's rights and futures, not merely a legal violation. She said Gujarat had prepared a 'State Action Plan' to address risks linked to child labour and human trafficking, and called for closer cooperation among governments, civil society organisations and community leaders.

Gajjar stressed the need for stronger inter-state information-sharing systems, child tracking mechanisms and rehabilitation processes, arguing that achieving the vision of a 'developed India by 2047' required every child to be educated, protected and given opportunities to realise their potential.

Labour Commissioner K.D. Lakhani said child labour must be viewed as a wider social issue connected to education, nutrition, health and social security. He outlined that the workshop's discussions would cover migration-related risks, legal and administrative mechanisms, rescue and rehabilitation procedures, reintegration measures and community-based interventions, with the goal of developing a roadmap toward a child labour-free society.

Socio-Economic Context and UNICEF's Role

Mahatma Gandhi Labour Institute Director General Pravin Solanki noted that while legal frameworks were broadly similar across states, outcomes varied considerably — making the exchange of both successful and unsuccessful experiences among participants especially valuable. He said eliminating child labour remained a critical challenge requiring joint action by governments and society as India moved toward becoming a developed nation.

UNICEF Chief Field Office representative Dr Narayan Gavkar said Gujarat's industrial growth attracted substantial migration from other states and emphasised that economic development should not come at the expense of children's education, health or safety. He said UNICEF had been working with governments and institutions to prevent child labour by strengthening families, supporting adolescents through education and skills development, and ensuring uninterrupted access to schooling.

What Comes Next

The minister said the state had already strengthened district-level task forces focused on the elimination of child and adolescent labour and improved coordination among departments involved in rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration. Efforts are also underway to expand online registration of workers, awareness programmes and social security coverage. The dialogue is expected to produce a concrete inter-state roadmap drawing on best practices from all six participating states.