CHILD LABOUR IN INDIA:
PROBLEMATICS AND POLICY
INTERVENTIONS
Research by:
Dr. Manjula Upadhyay
Associate Professor
Department of Economics
A.P. Sen Memorial Girls Degree College, Lucknow
Presented By:
Mrs.Sunita K. Sahu
Assistant Professor
GCON
INTRODUCTION:
The International Labor Organization (ILO) defines child labor as "work
situations where children are forced to work on a regular basis to earn a
living for themselves and their families, and as a result they remain
backward educationally and socially in a situation which is exploitative
and harmful to their health and to their physical and mental
development.
The children are separated from their families, often deprived of
educational and training opportunities and they are forced to lead
prematurely adult lives (ILO)”.
The worst forms of child labor are those situations where children work
more than nine hours in a day; earn less than a minimum wage or no
wages at all; work in hazardous conditions for health and safety; have no
access to education; and, work outside of their family's home.
ILO estimates show that approximately 250 to 300 million children
work around the world. Of these the largest concentration is in the age-
group of 5 and14 years, are located in Asia (61%), Africa (32%) and
Latin America (7%).
Child labour also exists in developed countries such as the USA, UK,
Italy, Portugal and Spain. The child labour prevalent in developing
countries is a complex socio-economic phenomenon.
OBJECTIVES:
(a)To assess the problems of child labour in India
(b)Analyze demand and supply side factors responsible for child
labour
(c)Outline policy interventions and other safeguards to protect child
labour
Methodology:
Secondary data has been collected through literature material
researched from academic books, articles, news and research reports
on child labor, poverty, education and public health of child labour.
Peer reviewed online resources and academic articles written by
different sources have been used in this paper to analyse the
problems, challenges, policy interventions with regard
to child labour policies.
Analytics and Problematic:
Child Labour refers to engaging children in prohibited work and
activities which are socially and morally undesirable. Worst form of
child labour means children in slavery, child trafficking, commercial and
sexual exploitation, hazardous child labour and involving them in illicit
activities.
Hindi belt such as Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and
Uttar Pradesh constitute 1.27 crore working children in the country,
engaged in both hazardous and non hazardous occupation and processes.
Keeping in mind present conditions of the country child
labour cannot be totally abolished but these children should be
protected from health hazards, abuse and exploitation, working
conditions should be improved and regulated. This menace can only
be abolished through combined efforts of parents, government,
community, non-government and voluntary agencies.
They being working since tender age could not feel essence of life, it
kills their ability to innovate since childhood doing same work
tirelessly not able to think in broader perspective as their counter parts
of good families.
Many children have to work because their parents have taken money
from money lender though may be meager amount but is not in a
condition to pay back due to poverty, they offer their children to work
for employer/money lender who mostly works hard for long hours and
may be ill treated like slaves.
Imagine the pathetic situation and mental trauma child faces. This can
pass from one generation to another if the loan and interest is not repaid.
It is termed bonded child labour.
While India leads the world in the number of bonded child labours, debt
servitude is a significant problem in Pakistan and Nepal as well. Human
Rights watch reports apart from South-Asia forced labour is also seen in
Kuwait, Brazil, Thailand and the Domican Republic.
Condition of girl child labour is worse than male child as they are given
lesser wages as is the case of women getting less than men and are
subject to gender specific forms of abuse from their employers including
sexual abuse.
Girls apart from working as child labour have to do household
chores, take care of her younger brothers and sisters this put a heavy
workload on them.
Thus the conditions for female child labour are even worse.
Policy Interventions
Indian constitution makes provisions for the children, such as Article-24
provides that child below the age of 14 years shall not be employed to
work in any factory or mind or engaged in any hazardous employment.
They are often mistreated and work for prolonged hours, in very bad
conditions. This can affect their health physically, mentally and
emotionally.
Article 23 of the constitution prohibits the practice of debt bondage and
other forms of slavery both modern and ancient: Article 24 prohibits
the employment of children in factories, mines, and other hazardous
occupations.
Together, Articles 23 and 24 are placed under the heading "Right against
Exploitation," one of India's constitutionally-proclaimed fundamental
rights.
Constitution of India guarantees the right to life and liberty. The
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) also monitors child labour
situation in the country as it leads to the denial of basic human rights of
children.
The Commission NGOs to provide non-formal education of child
labourers especially such schools/training centres are functioning in the
carpet producing districts of India. Public view regarding
child labour issues has also improved. Elementary Education through
Right to Education has been made Fundamental Right
CONCLUSION
Children are assets of any nation and wealth of future. Childhood is
important because their personality is framed in the socialization
process.
They should be given appropriate care for survival and healthy
development. The genesis of child labour lies in the muliti-faceted
complex process of self sustained socio-economic retardation.
Thus, the issue of child labour has occupied paramountcy in the ongoing
debate on inclusion of 'social clauses' under the domain of World
Trade Organisation (WTO)
REFERENCES
• Agarwal Pramod Kumar and Pathak Anil Chandra 'A Socio-Economic
Analysis of Child Labour in India" in Lakshya Journal of Science and
Management Vol.1 Issue 1 (Jan-June 2015)
• Bharti Shalini and Agarwal Shalini "Physical and Psychological
Hazards Faced by Child Labour – A Review Article" is IOSR Journal
of Humanities and Social Science Vol.13, issue 6/July-Aug
2013/pp.29-33
• Sachdeva DR Social Welfare Administration in India, Kitab
MahalPublication, Allahabad, Fourth Edition 2003, pp 319-320)
• Ali Hasnaim and Khan Samsuddin. "The overcoming of Child Labour
in India: In Perspective of Constitutional and Legislative Framework"
in 13Journal of Business Management and Social Sciences Research
Vol. 1No.3, Dec 2012.
• Osment Lana "Child Labour: The Effect on Child , Causes and
Remedies to the Revolving Menace" Thesis Department of Human
Geography, University of Lund Sweden.
• (www.hindu.com/new/national/India - ratifies - core-convention “India
ratifies Core Conventions to Clamp down on Child Labour”)
• (https://www/youthkiawaaz.com/2016/11/economics of child (labour
in India).
