A succession of laws on child labour, the so-called Factory Acts, were passed in the UK in the 19th century. Children younger than nine were not allowed to work, those aged 9–16 could work 16 hours per day per Cotton Mills Act. In 1856, the law permitted child labour past age 9, for 60 hours per week, night or day. In 1901, the permissible child labour age was raised to 12.
Child labour refers to the employment of children in any work that deprives children of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend regular school, and that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful This practice is considered exploitative by many international organisations. Legislation across the world prohibit child labour.These laws do not consider all work by children as child labour; exceptions include work by child artists, family duties, supervised training, certain categories of work such as those by Amishchildren, some forms of child work common among indigenous American children, and others.
Child labour is called as work done by those small children who are yet under-aged as per by law. By ‘Work Done’, we mean that work which is done by the under-aged children in factories or showrooms or any other place to earn money to sustain their livelihood or of their families.
CHILD is a word that is used for very young persons; an age to study, play, enjoy and have very big dreams in small eyes. But does all children enjoy in this small age? Do you really think that all the children study and play in this age?
Lets discuss in India the condition of such children. According to one survey, in year 1971, the number of working children in developing country India was 10,753,985 while in 1991 it was increased up to 11,285,349 and now-a-days it has increased to 60 million. 60 million, Is it a small number?
I know you are feeling very surprised to know this huge number. Some of you might not be believing on this stats. But it’s true. If you are Indian and residing here then you must have seen such small children working near footpaths.
No doubt, Indian government is taking steps to stop Child-Labor. But only on papers, not in real. Even today in every state, children are working at homes as domestic laborers, industrial laborers, not for earning money; just for the survival. Then what would be the future of India? Is the answer Labour. No, no we have to come forward to stop it.
“The child is a soul with a being, a nature and capacities of its own, who must be helped to find them, to grow into their maturity, into a fullness of physical and vital energy and the utmost breadth, depth and height of its emotional, intellectual and spiritual being; otherwise there cannot be a healthy growth of the nation.”
--- P N Bhagawati, Former CJI.
Child labour is a significant problem in India. The prevalence of it is shown by the child work participation rates which are higher in Indian than in other developing countries. Equal opportunities for development to all children during the period of growth should be our aim. For this purpose even we citizen should join hands with government and other institutions which are set up for this purpose.
Educating the child can be a solution for solving the problem of child labour. To provide compulsory primary education and in order to reduce the burden on parents to meet the expenditure for their children’s education, while they are struggling for a day’s meal, our Government had allotted funds. But due to the lack of awareness most of the poor families are not availing these facilities. So, proper steps have to be taken to create awareness.
Child labour cannot be eliminated by focusing on one determinant, for example education, or by brute enforcement of child labour laws. The government of India must ensure that the needs of the poor are filled before attacking child labour. If poverty is addressed, the need for child labour will automatically diminish. No matter how hard India tries, child labour always will exist until the need for it is removed.
The development of India as a nation is being hampered by child labour. Children are growing up illiterate because they have been working and not attending school. A cycle of poverty is formed and the need for child labour is reborn after every generation. India needs to address the situation by tackling the underlying causes of child labour through governmental policies and the enforcement of these policies. Only then will India succeed in the fight against child labour.
Child labour refers to the employment of children in any work that deprives children of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend regular school, and that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful This practice is considered exploitative by many international organisations. Legislation across the world prohibit child labour.These laws do not consider all work by children as child labour; exceptions include work by child artists, family duties, supervised training, certain categories of work such as those by Amishchildren, some forms of child work common among indigenous American children, and others.
Child labour is called as work done by those small children who are yet under-aged as per by law. By ‘Work Done’, we mean that work which is done by the under-aged children in factories or showrooms or any other place to earn money to sustain their livelihood or of their families.
CHILD is a word that is used for very young persons; an age to study, play, enjoy and have very big dreams in small eyes. But does all children enjoy in this small age? Do you really think that all the children study and play in this age?
Lets discuss in India the condition of such children. According to one survey, in year 1971, the number of working children in developing country India was 10,753,985 while in 1991 it was increased up to 11,285,349 and now-a-days it has increased to 60 million. 60 million, Is it a small number?
I know you are feeling very surprised to know this huge number. Some of you might not be believing on this stats. But it’s true. If you are Indian and residing here then you must have seen such small children working near footpaths.
No doubt, Indian government is taking steps to stop Child-Labor. But only on papers, not in real. Even today in every state, children are working at homes as domestic laborers, industrial laborers, not for earning money; just for the survival. Then what would be the future of India? Is the answer Labour. No, no we have to come forward to stop it.
“The child is a soul with a being, a nature and capacities of its own, who must be helped to find them, to grow into their maturity, into a fullness of physical and vital energy and the utmost breadth, depth and height of its emotional, intellectual and spiritual being; otherwise there cannot be a healthy growth of the nation.”
--- P N Bhagawati, Former CJI.
Child labour is a significant problem in India. The prevalence of it is shown by the child work participation rates which are higher in Indian than in other developing countries. Equal opportunities for development to all children during the period of growth should be our aim. For this purpose even we citizen should join hands with government and other institutions which are set up for this purpose.
Educating the child can be a solution for solving the problem of child labour. To provide compulsory primary education and in order to reduce the burden on parents to meet the expenditure for their children’s education, while they are struggling for a day’s meal, our Government had allotted funds. But due to the lack of awareness most of the poor families are not availing these facilities. So, proper steps have to be taken to create awareness.
Child labour cannot be eliminated by focusing on one determinant, for example education, or by brute enforcement of child labour laws. The government of India must ensure that the needs of the poor are filled before attacking child labour. If poverty is addressed, the need for child labour will automatically diminish. No matter how hard India tries, child labour always will exist until the need for it is removed.
The development of India as a nation is being hampered by child labour. Children are growing up illiterate because they have been working and not attending school. A cycle of poverty is formed and the need for child labour is reborn after every generation. India needs to address the situation by tackling the underlying causes of child labour through governmental policies and the enforcement of these policies. Only then will India succeed in the fight against child labour.
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