E/CN.4/Sub.2/SR.835 page 8
despite the efforts of the Indian Government to regulate the situation. Those few examples taken from all the regions of the world showed the extent and complexity of the problem, whose causes were first and foremost economic. United Nations resolutions and decisions on the subject could only remain a dead letter unless they were accompanied by coercion and a campaign to ensure that the persons concerned were aware of their rights. Such measures should be undertaken in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation, the United Nations Children's Fund and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The countries which despite their difficulties, were endeavouring to adopt a humane attitude towards the problem of child labour should be encouraged, and the Sub-Commission should provide them with appropriate assistance by undertaking surveys or organizing seminars on the question.
27. Mr. KELIN said that the question of the exploitation of child labour, which was dealt with in particular in document E/CN.4/Sub.2/433, could leave no one indifferent. The Declaration of the Rights of the Child (see ST/HR/1/Rev.1, United Nations publication, sales No. F. 78.XIV.2) had been adopted 20 years previously and, since then, progressive forces had worked for the protection of the child. Despite the successes achieved, 250 million persons were still suffering today from hunger, poverty and disease, and children were dying as a result of starvation or lack of care. In spite of progress in science and technology, 40 countries still had no legislation relating to compulsory education. According to UNESCO, if the situation remained unchanged, by 1985 165 million children would not be enrolled in schools. In addition, the international community should continue to concern itself with the situation of children who were the victims of racism or apartheid.
28.
town
Ac Mr. Whitaker had rightly said, it was not child labour that was being questioned, but the exploitation of child labour. In that connexion, he was reminded of something which had happened during his childhood: the schoolchildren in his had been made to build a railway for themselves; at the time he had acted as pointsman and later he had become a Transport Institute engineer. There were in the USSR 39 such railways which gave children the possibility of learning railway techniques under the direction of retired railway workers. There were also 1,283 clubs for young technician, 641 clubs for young naturalists, and 50 clubs for young pilots and trainee cosmonauts. In that way, the younger generations became used to working and the Constitution of the USSR proclaimed that there should be no exploitation of child labour. The table relating to children and work in 1979 which was contained in the report of the Secretary-General on the exploitation of child labour (E/CN.4/Sub.2/433, para. 32) confirmed that there was no exploitation of child labour in his country. However, since such exploitation still existed in many countries, the Sub-Commission, as well as other United Nations bodies, must continue to concern itself with the problem.
29. Mrs. DAES said that she would confine herself to making specific proposals, since the various aspects of the question under consideration had been outlined by the representative of the Secretary-General, the ILO representative, Mr. Boudhiba and Mr. Whitaker, whose proposals she fully supported.
30. Principle 8 of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child stated that the child should in all circumstances be among the first to receive protection and relief, while in accordance with principle 9 the child should be protected against all forms of neglect, cruelty and exploitation and should not be the subject of traffic in any form.
}