Child labor is a horror story in Delhi

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hiam

25 April, 2011

According to one estimate 10,000 children are employed in only West Delhi by small unorganized businesses to carry out zari work, screen printing, and are made to work on putting together shoes, and leather lady bags, etc.

CHILD LABOUR has been one of the major social problems in the country. This social evil has made children lose their childhood prematurely. One of the reasons behind child labor is dire poverty. When families cannot afford two square meals a day, they make their children work at a very young age.

Child labor has become so rampant that an estimate of roughly five lakhs of child labourers are scattered all over the nine districts of the Delhi. These children are mostly domestic child laborers and rag pickers.

Among the nine districts, North West district has the most number of child laborers. These children are made to work in organized as well as unorganized sector. They are also pushed to work for extensive hours at a stretch - often late into the night. Their working conditions are miserable, and they are underpaid by their selfish employers.

Many of these children are working in zari manufacturing and leather accessories. In central Delhi alone more than 10,000 children are working in zari work, screen printing, shoes, and leather lady bags, etc.

Despite so much of child labor in the capital, it is difficult for child labor activists to counter the problem. The employers keep shifting every few months hiding from the prying eyes of the activists.

Since the Right to Education has been enforced, concerned authorities need to ensure that the children employed in this sector be helped out from the clutches of their employers, avail them of the Right to Education, and secure their future - because the future of the nation depends on these innocent children.