Social Problem

CHILD LABOUR
 INTRODUCTION
Children are future citizens of the Nation and their adequate development is utmost priority of the
country. Unfortunately, child labor engulfs children across the world. The world is home to 1.2 billion
individuals aged 10-19 years. However, despite its menace in various forms, the data shows variation
in prevalence of child labor across the globe and the statistical figures about child labor are very
alarming. There are an estimated 186 million child laborers worldwide. The 2001 national census of
India estimated total number of child labor aged 5–14 to be at 12.6 million.

Small-scale and community-based studies have found estimated prevalence of 12.6 million children
engaged in hazardous occupations. Many children are “hidden workers” working in homes or in the
underground economy. Although the Constitution of India guarantees free and compulsory
education to children between the age of 6 to 14 and prohibits employment of children younger
than 14 in 18 hazardous occupations, child labor is still prevalent in the informal sectors of the Indian
economy.

hild labor violates human rights, and is in contravention of the International Labor Organization
(Article 32, Convention Rights of the Child). About one-third of children of the developing world are
failing to complete even 4 years of education. Indian population has more than 17.5 million working
children in different industries, and incidentally maximum are in agricultural sector, leather industry,
mining and match-making industries, etc.

The term “child labor” is often defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, their
potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical-mental development. It refers to work
that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children, and interferes
with their schooling by depriving them of the opportunity to attend school, obliging them to leave
school prematurely or requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively
long and heavy work. The statistical figures about child workers in the world have variation because
of the differences in defining categories of age group and engagement of children in formal and
informal sector.
 TYPES OF CHILD LABOUR

 MANUFACTURING :

Factories

 AGRICULTURAL :

Harvesting/Farming

 HOUSEHOLD :

Cooking

Sewing

Fireworks manufacture

The town of Sivakasi in South India, known for its fireworks and matchsticks industries, has been
reported to employ child labour in the production of fireworks. In 2011, Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu was
home to over 9,500 firecracker factories and produced almost 100 percent of total fireworks output
in India The fireworks industry employed about 150,000 people at an average of 15 employees per
factory. Most of these were in unorganized sector, with a few registered and organized companies.

In 1989, Shubh Bhardwaj reported that child labour is present in India's fireworks industry, and
safety practices poor. Child labour is common in small shed operation in the unorganized sector.
Only 4 companies scaled up and were in the organized sector with over 500 employees; the larger
companies did not employ children and had superior safety practices and resources. The child labour
in small, unorganized sector operations suffered long working hours, low wages, unsafe conditions
and tiring schedules.

A more recent 2002 report by international labour organization (ILO), claim that child labour is
significant in Tamil Nadu's fireworks, matches or incense sticks industries. However, these children
do not work in the formal economy and corporate establishments that produce for export. The child
labourers in manufacturing typically toil in supply chains producing for the domestic market of
fireworks, matches or incense sticks. The ILO report claims that as the demand for these products
has grown, the formal economy and corporate establishments have not expanded to meet the
demand, rather home-based production operations have mushroomed. This has increased the
potential of child labour. Such hidden operations make research and effective action difficult,
suggests ILO.

Silk manufacture

A 2003 Human Rights Watch report, claims children as young as five years old are employed and
work for up to 12 hours a day and six to seven days a week in silk industry. These children, claims,
are bonded labour; even though the government of India denies existence of bonded child labour,
these silk industries children are easy to find in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, claims Children are forced
to dip their hands in scalding water to palpate the cocoons and are often paid less than Rs 10 per
day.
In 2012, a German news investigative report claimed that in states like Karnataka, non-governmental
organisations had found up to 15,000 children working in the 1,100 silk factories in 1998. In other
places, thousands of bonded child labourers were present in 1995. But today, after UNICEF and
NGOs got involved, child labour figure is drastically lower, with the total estimated to be fewer than
a thousand child labourers. The released children were back in school, claims the report

Domestic labour

Official estimates for child labour working as domestic labour and in restaurants is more than
2,500,000 while NGOs estimate the figure to be around 20 million. The Government of India
expanded the coverage of The Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act and banned the
employment of children as domestic workers and as workers in restaurants, dhabas, hotels, spas and
resorts effective from 10 October 2006.

Mining

Despite laws enacted in 1952 which prohibited employment of people under the age of 18, primitive
coal mines in Meghalaya were caught employing children under the age of 18. This caught the
attention of international media in 2013.

WHAT LEADS TO CHILD LABOUR???

 Increase in poverty.

 Over exploitation of population.

 Decrease of resources.

 Decrease of literacy rate.

 Increase of unemployment.

 Lack of schooling and daily care.

CHILD LABOUR IN COUNTING

 61% in Asia, 32% in Africa, and 7% in Latin America,1% in US, Canada, Europe and other
countries.

 In Asia 22% of workforce is children. In Latin America 17% of work force is Children.

 According to expert study 10 million bonded children labourers are working as dome in
south Asia.

 Beyond this there are 55 million bonded child labourers hired in other industries.
 COUNT OF CHILD LABOUR IN INDIA
 India accounts for second highest number of child labourers in the world.

 Approximately 9 million children are involved in unconditional and worst form of child
labour.

 Many of them work as Domestic servants.

 Many of them work in hazardous manufacturing industries as cheap labour.

CONSEQUENSES OF CHILD LABOUR

The negative impact on the physiological and psychological levels of children includes specific
concerns of child labour and its consequences on mental health. It is worth noting that one-third of
children of the developing world are failing to complete even 4 years of education. The analysis of
factors leading to engagement of children in hazardous factors elucidated socioeconomic factors as
one of the important determinants. Poverty is considered as one of the contributory factors in child
labour.

Mental well-being is less frequently researched in child labour. A retrospective cohort study in
Morocco randomly examined 200 children working in the handicraft sector and found a high
prevalence of respiratory, digestive and skin conditions, as well as mental health presentations such
as migraines, insomnia, irritability, enuresis and asthenia.

In a cross-sectional survey, urban Lebanese children aged 10–17, working full-time in small industrial
shops, were compared with non-working matched school children. Majority of them had poor
physical health, predominantly marked with skin lesions or ear complaints and social care needs.
Similarly, authors aimed to find out consequences in children in Lebanon exposed to solvents, and
found significantly higher rates of light headedness, fatigue, impaired memory and depression
compared with a non-exposed group.

The physical and social consequences are deliberated by researchers; however, mental health area
has not been explored so much. Studies are lacking even in Indian scenario regarding impact of child
labour on mental health.

he presence of a large number of child labourers is regarded as a serious issue in terms of economic
welfare. Children who work fail to get necessary education. They do not get the opportunity to
develop physically, intellectually, emotionally and psychologically. In terms of the physical condition
of children, children are not ready for long monotonous work because they become exhausted more
quickly than adults. This reduces their physical conditions and makes the children more vulnerable
to disease.

Children in hazardous working conditions are even in worse condition. Children who work, instead of
going to school, will remain illiterate which limits their ability to contribute to their own well-being
as well as to community they live in. Child labour has long term adverse effects for India.

To keep an economy prospering, a vital criterion is to have an educated workforce equipped with
relevant skills for the needs of the industries. The young labourers today, will be part of India's
human capital tomorrow. Child labour undoubtedly results in a trade-off with human capital
accumulation.

Child labour in India are employed with the majority (70%) in agriculture some in low-skilled labour-
intensive sectors such as sari weaving or as domestic helpers, which require neither formal
education nor training, but some in heavy industry such as coal mining.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), there are tremendous economic benefits
for developing nations by sending children to school instead of work. [9] Without education, children
do not gain the necessary skills such as English literacy and technical aptitude that will increase their
productivity to enable them to secure higher-skilled jobs in future with higher wages that will lift
them out of poverty.

MEASURES TO CONTROL
Education is a very important part of development. Children who are drawn to child labour are
basically driven because of economic deprivation, lack of schooling and engagement of family for
daily needs. Studies have found low enrollment with increased rates of child employment. Schools
are the platform for early intervention against child labour, as it restricts their participation in menial
jobs. Hurdles in this approach are economic reasons. Unless economic change is brought about, the
children will not be able to attend the school. Child labour can be controlled by economic
development increasing awareness and making education affordable across all levels, and
enforcement of anti-child labour laws

 Education is a very important part of development. Children who are drawn to child labor
are basically driven because of economic deprivation, lack of schooling and engagement of
family for daily needs.

 Schools are the platform for early intervention against child labor, as it restricts their
participation in menial jobs.

 Child labor can be controlled by economic development increasing awareness and making
education affordable across all levels, and enforcement of anti-child labor laws.

 The National Child Labor Project (NCLP) Scheme was launched in 9 districts of high child
labor endemicity in the country.

The Government of India has taken certain initiatives to control child labour. The National
Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme was launched in 9 districts of high child labour
endemicity in the country. Under the scheme, funds are given to the District Collectors for
running special schools for child labour. Most of these schools are run by the NGOs in the
district. Under the scheme, these children are provided formal/informal education along with
vocational training, and a stipend of Rs. 100 per month. Health check-up is also done for
them.

Initiatives against child labour in India

In 1979, the Indian government formed the Gurupadswamy Committee to find about child labour
and means to tackle it. The Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act was enacted based on the
recommendations of the committee in 1986. ]A National Policy on Child Labour was formulated in
1987 to focus on rehabilitating children working in hazardous occupations. [78] The Ministry of Labour
and Employment had implemented around 100 industry-specific National Child Labour Projects to
rehabilitate the child workers since 1988.

The Indian government has enacted a plethora of acts, laws, organizations, and institutions to
combat the overwhelming prominence of child labour. Some of the initiatives include the Child
Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act which is a piece of legislation that prohibits the engagement
of children in certain employment (mostly in dangerous conditions) and regulates the conditions of
work of children; the National Policy on Child Labour seeks to adopt a sequential approach with
focus on rehabilitation of children working in hazardous occupations & processes in the first
instance; and the Ministry of Labour and employment functions to provide and supervise a range of
policies concerning child labour in India. Furthermore, as reported by Osment, NGOs such as Care
India, Child Rights and You, Global March against Child Labour have been implemented to combat
child labour through education and accessibility to resources. However, these efforts have been
largely unsuccessful

CONCLUSION
 Poverty is one of the important factors for this problem. Hence, enforcement alone cannot
help solve it. The Government has been laying a lot of emphasis on the rehabilitation of
these children and on improving the economic conditions of their families.

 Many NGOs like CARE India, Child Rights and You, Global March Against Child Labor, etc.,
have been working to eradicate child labor in India.

 The child labor can be stopped when knowledge is translated into legislation and action,
moving good intention and ideas into protecting the health of the children.

 A multidisciplinary approach involving specialists with medical, psychological and socio-

anthropological level is needed to curb this evil.

Poverty is one of the important factors for this problem. Hence, enforcement alone cannot
help solve it. The Government has been laying a lot of emphasis on the rehabilitation of
these children and on improving the economic conditions of their families.

Many NGOs like CARE India, Child Rights and You, Global March Against Child Labour, etc.,
have been working to eradicate child labour in India. The child labour can be stopped when
knowledge is translated into legislation and action, moving good intention and ideas into
protecting the health of the children. The endurance of young children is higher and they
cannot protest against discrimination. Focusing on grassroots strategies to mobilize
communities against child labour and reintegration of child workers into their homes and
schools has proven crucial to breaking the cycle of child labour. A multidisciplinary approach
involving specialists with medical, psychological and socio-anthropological level is needed to
curb this evil.

It is in this context that we have to take a relook at the landmark passing of the Right of
Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act 2009, which marks a historic moment
for the children of India. For the first time in India's history, children will be guaranteed their
right to quality elementary education by the state with the help of families and
communities. The world cannot reach its goal to have every child complete primary school
by 2015 without India. Although there have been significant improvements in the proportion
of children from socially disadvantaged groups in school, gaps still remain. Girls are still less
likely to enroll in school than boys; in 2005, for upper primary school (Grades 6–8) girls’
enrollment was still 8.8 points lower than boys, for Scheduled Tribes (ST) the gender gap was
12.6 points and it was 16 points for Scheduled Castes (SC). RTE provides a ripe platform to
reach the unreached, with specific provisions for disadvantaged groups such as child
laborers, migrant children, children with special needs, or those who have a “disadvantage
owing to social, cultural economical, geographical, linguistic, gender or such other factors.”
Bringing 8 million out-of-school children into classes at the age-appropriate level with the
support to stay in school and succeed poses a major challenge. Substantial efforts are
essential to eliminate disparities and ensure quality with equity. Successful implementation
of the Act would certainly go a long way in eradicating child labour in India.