Context
- A study on child labour by Enfold and CivicDataLab, based on judicial data from the e-Courts platform, differs from NCRB and revealed more child labour cases in six states.
Key Findings
- Discrepancy in Data: Judicial data reveals 8 times more child labour cases than reported by NCRB.
- NCRB reports 1,329 cases (2015-2022) under the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986.
- e-Courts data shows 9,193 trials in the same period, a significant increase.
- 10,800 child labour cases were analyzed across six states: Maharashtra, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.
Issue of Child Labour in India
Root causes: Poverty and illiteracy, requiring societal involvement for effective solutions.
Statistics on Child Labour
- Census 2001: 1.26 crore working children (age 5-14) out of 25.2 crore total child population.
- Census 2011: India had approximately 10.1 million child labourers aged 5-14 years, representing 3.9% of the total child population in this age group.
Gurupadswamy Committee: It was formed in 1979, and found that poverty was a key barrier to eliminating child labour. So it recommended banning child labour in hazardous sectors and regulating other areas. Also, advocated for a multiple policy approach.
Impact of Child Labour on Society
- Hindered Economic Growth: Child labour leads to a loss of productivity in the long term as children miss out on education and skill development.
- Perpetuation of Poverty: Children working instead of studying contribute to the continuation of the poverty cycle, as they are less likely to secure well-paying jobs as adults.
- Lack of Skilled Workforce: Children involved in labour miss out on education, leading to a lack of skilled workers in the future economy.
- Social Inequality: Child labour exacerbates social inequality, as marginalized and economically disadvantaged children are more likely to be exploited.
- Weakens Social Progress: Widespread child labour limits the progress of society, as it hinders efforts to improve education, health, and overall quality of life.
Challenges in Preventing Child Labour in India:
- Poverty: Families often rely on children’s income for survival, making it difficult to eliminate child labour.
- Lack of Access to Education: Poor infrastructure and limited schools, especially in rural areas, prevent children from receiving an education.
- Cultural Acceptance: In some regions, child labour is normalized and seen as part of family tradition or livelihood.
- Limited Awareness: Lack of awareness among families, employers, and communities about the harmful effects of child labour.
- Economic Exploitation: Demand for cheap labour in industries like textiles, agriculture, and construction continues to exploit children.
- Migration: Migrant families in urban areas often push children into work due to instability and lack of access to education.
| People Also View: | |
|---|---|
| Students’ Suicides in India: SC’s decision to set up a Task Force | Top 5 NDA Coaching in India |
Constitutional Provisions:
Fundamental Rights:
- Article 21A: The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children between the ages of 6 to 14 years.
- Article 24: Prohibits child labour below 14 years in hazardous employment.
Directive Principles of State Policy:
- Article 39: Protects children from exploitation and abuse.
- Article 39(f): Ensures children’s development in conditions of dignity and freedom.
Legislative Actions
- Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986: Prohibited child labour in hazardous occupations and regulated work in other sectors. Amendment (2016): Prohibited child employment below 14 years in all occupations. Extended prohibition to adolescents (14-18 years) in hazardous jobs.
- National Policy on Child Labour (1987): Focused on a gradual and sequential approach. Prioritized the rehabilitation of children and adolescents.
- National Child Labour Project (NCLP): Provides education, vocational training, and rehabilitation for children rescued from labour in high-concentration areas.
- Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009: Ensures free and compulsory education for children aged 6-14, aiming to keep them out of the workforce.
- Mid-Day Meal Scheme: Encourages school attendance by providing free meals, reducing the incentive for children to work.
- Labour Inspections and Raids: State governments conduct regular inspections and raids to identify and prevent child labour in industries.
- Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS): Provides support and rehabilitation for children at risk of exploitation and abuse, including child labour.
Way ahead
Education:
- Spreading literacy and education is a potent weapon against the practice of child labour, because illiterate persons do not understand the implications of child labour.
- The single most effective way to stem the flow of school-aged children into child labour is to improve access to and quality of schooling.
Eradicate Unemployment:
- Another way to stop child labour is to eliminate or rein in unemployment. Because of inadequate employment, many families cannot afford to meet all their expenses. If more employment opportunities are there, they will be able to let their children read and write and become worthy citizens.
- Continued progress against child labour requires policies that help mitigate the economic vulnerability of households. Accelerating progress towards universal social protection is key, as social protection helps prevent poor households from having to rely on child labour as a coping mechanism.
Attitude change:
- The attitudes and mindsets of people must be changed to instead employ adults and allow all children to go to school and have the chance to learn, play, and socialize as they should.
- Financial support or relaxation of school fees and other related school expenses should be given to those children who wouldn’t be able to return to school otherwise.
- School authorities need to ensure that every student will have free lunches at home until schools open. Special efforts to identify children orphaned due to COVID-19, and arrangements of shelter and foster care for them on a priority basis.
Conclusion
Eliminating child labour is within Goal 8 of the SDGs. A stronger nexus between the discourse on SDGs and the discourse on eliminating child labour can take advantage of the complementarities and synergies of a wide range of actors engaged in both areas of work. The fight against child labour is not just the responsibility of one, it is the responsibility of all.