ILO ACTRAV - Child Labour

Child Labourers in India and Nepal,
Mission, September 2000

The CTA, accompanied by the Norwegian ILO Information Officer, Mr. Tor Monsen,
visited India and Nepal in September 2000.
In Banke, West Nepal, bonded labour and serfdom are widespread - a system called Kamaiya.
The whole family is often bonded to the landlord - husband, wife and children.
Although the system has recently been abolished, it is still perpetuated throughout the country.
People are very poor and the illiteracy is extremely high - up to 70% of the women are illiterate.

This song was written after a visit to Thailand by Mr. Ray Korona. He met labour organizers, teenage women, who had lost cousins, brothers and sisters in a toy factory fire. These girls were eager to tell their stories about the factory. They explained that they had nothing more to lose. The only thing they wanted now was dignity, and therefore, despite the tragical accident, the author wanted to write the song on a positive note.

Verse
I'm young, just in my teens, I make toys here in Thailand--
The pig lady and the big ears mouse; you'd think this is fairyland.
But the bosses are in your face. They push and yell all day.
They need more toys somewhere far away. And you can't live on what they pay.

Chorus
But we will have dignity.
Tear down this misery.
The world will hear our song.
We're growing strong.

Verse
One Monday afternoon, there were screams in the factory.
The whole building consumed by flames-- doors locked for security.
In that cruel, cheap fire trap, two hundred workers died.
The broken toys and broken people strewn all over side by side.

Repeat Chorus

Bridge
And we're fighting back.
Petitions and boycotts will carry us through.
They'll all know that this world is our world too.

Verse
Across the seas a land where these dolls find a family.
And the children get to go to school.
They don't work in a factory.
There are unions that struggle for better pay and safety.
We'll never rest until the day all people live in dignity.

Repeat Chorus

We are grateful to Mr. Ray Korona, author and composer of this song, giving us permission to use it in our project work. The song has been recorded by the Ray Korona Band. For more information about this CD, please consult http://www.raykorona.com