A malice called child labour
World Day against Child Labour is observed on June 12, in many countries across the world to raise awareness against unlawful practice of child labour prevalent in the society. Child labour is one of the major problems in India and other countries
JUNE 12, is observed across scores of countries around the world as annual World Day against Child Labour- A day to raise awareness against the unlawful practice of child labour prevalent in the society. In simple terms, the employment of children for the purpose of regular and sustained work comes under the domain of child labour, which is hateful and exploitative. This year’s World Day also marks the tenth anniversary of the adoption of International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No 182 on the elimination of the worst forms of child labour.
Child labour is prohibited in international and national law. In the year 1989, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the convention on the rights of the child that bans children from being economically exploited that interferes with the child’s education or could be harmful to the child’ s mental, physical, spiritual health, moral or social development. According to UNICEF, there are approximately 158 million children between ages five and 14 who are forced into child labour worldwide, excluding child domestic labour.
Child labour is a major problem in India and other countries of the world. Despite being regarded as exploitative and illegal in the countries, which follow these guidelines and have law against child labour, this practice persists unabated. India too has the Child Employment Act, which is less comprehensive but makes it a criminal offence to employ children below age 16 to be employed in such a way that it interferes with their schooling. Unfortunately, India continues to be home to the largest number of child labourers in the world which is predicted around 17 million.
The most innocent phase in human life is the childhood. It is that stage of life when the human foundations are laid with utmost care and fondness for a successful adult life. At such a tender age, when the children should be enjoying their childhood days, these child labourers are forced into factories and agricultural fields to sweat out for earning meager sums in order to support their families. These children are put to work under grueling circumstances.
Poverty and lack of education are the two primary reasons for the malice called child labour. Poor families often rely on their children to go out and earn for livelihood and at times it is their only source of income. So, the works that are not in the industrial sector are sort of hidden away by family. On the other hand, children are even pitted into hardships of working through coercion, deception, and threat or use of violence.
No matter what, where children are concerned, it makes no difference if they leave voluntarily or forced into underage employment. The need of the hour is to generate awareness among children, parents, entrepreneurs, business owners, political and social workers about the ill impact of child labour on the physical health and psyche of children and the economic growth of the country.
However, there are a few who feel that prohibiting work below a certain age violates human rights, reducing children’s options and leaving them subject to the whims of the richer segments of the society. But that isn’t going to help the cause. The future of a nation lies in its children. In order to benefit children, child labour prohibition has to address the dual challenge of providing them with both short-term income and long-term prospects. The childhood should be prevented from being tortured in the dungeon-like work places. The ultimate goal should be of preventing the child labour and in the course protecting the future of the nation!
Child labour is a major problem in India and other countries of the world. Despite being regarded as exploitative and illegal in the countries, which follow these guidelines and have law against child labour, this practice persists unabated. India too has the Child Employment Act, which is less comprehensive but makes it a criminal offence to employ children below age 16 to be employed in such a way that it interferes with their schooling. Unfortunately, India continues to be home to the largest number of child labourers in the world which is predicted around 17 million.
The most innocent phase in human life is the childhood. It is that stage of life when the human foundations are laid with utmost care and fondness for a successful adult life. At such a tender age, when the children should be enjoying their childhood days, these child labourers are forced into factories and agricultural fields to sweat out for earning meager sums in order to support their families. These children are put to work under grueling circumstances.
Poverty and lack of education are the two primary reasons for the malice called child labour. Poor families often rely on their children to go out and earn for livelihood and at times it is their only source of income. So, the works that are not in the industrial sector are sort of hidden away by family. On the other hand, children are even pitted into hardships of working through coercion, deception, and threat or use of violence.
No matter what, where children are concerned, it makes no difference if they leave voluntarily or forced into underage employment. The need of the hour is to generate awareness among children, parents, entrepreneurs, business owners, political and social workers about the ill impact of child labour on the physical health and psyche of children and the economic growth of the country.
However, there are a few who feel that prohibiting work below a certain age violates human rights, reducing children’s options and leaving them subject to the whims of the richer segments of the society. But that isn’t going to help the cause. The future of a nation lies in its children. In order to benefit children, child labour prohibition has to address the dual challenge of providing them with both short-term income and long-term prospects. The childhood should be prevented from being tortured in the dungeon-like work places. The ultimate goal should be of preventing the child labour and in the course protecting the future of the nation!
Login
 Login through Social ID
|
