Child Labour
Children are today’s investment and tomorrow’s dividend. Is it possible to write these words without looking shamefaced? Perhaps not, if one is to look at the thousands of children working as wage-earners, robbed of their childhood, even before they begin to bloom.
Child labour emerged as a serious problem during industrial revolution and it pervades, the world as a global phenomenon. In India too, it remains a ubiquitous problem. The most glaring causes that have compounded this evil are back-breaking poverty, large families, lack of free and compulsory education and ignorance of parents.
There are comprehensive laws against child labour in India and all over the world. What is it that makes children so susceptible to this evil? Children are willing to work at lower wages and are less likely to cause labour trouble. They can be made to work for longer hours. But sometimes, tinder the guise of apprenticeship, children are not paid for their labour. For instance, in the Sivakasi fireworks factory work thousands of children ranging from three and a half years of age to 15 years, which is always on the brink of catastrophe. These helpless children are made to work for upto 12 hours with wage as low as two rupees to eight rupees. Low wages combined with high input make them the desired targets for ‘labour hunters’ many others work in glass factories, weave carpets with their nimble but small fingers. Rarely are these children allowed to go out or have contact with others. Denied of love, nutrition and social stimulus, these children are even deprived of a chance to attend school. This undoubtedly jeopardizes their future for they have no choice except to work as unskilled labour condemned existing below the subsistence level all their lives.
These children ‘the children of a lesser God’ are worst hit for they have no voice unlike the adults who have the union power behind them. There are Astons in the Constitution that seek to protect these children.
For example, Article 24 of the Constitution warns that children below the age of 14 should not be employed in any hazardous job or Article 39(E) argues that children of tender age ought not to be abused by being made to do work beyond their capacity Article 39(F) states that children should be given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner. Article 45 makes primary education mandatory. Along with these, there are as many as 14 major enactments to protect the children but the harsh truth is that these laws cannot be implemented in spirit unless we are able to rally the support of all to end this ‘exploitative practice which still continues unabated.
