Prevalence of child labour is a blot on society

Child labour is a global problem. It is more common in underdeveloped countries. Child labour, by and large, is a problem of poor and destitute families, where parents cannot afford education of their children. They have to depend on the earning of their children.

The prevalence of child labour is a blot on society. It is a national disgrace that millions of children in this country have to spend a major part of their daily routine in hazardous works. The problem of child labour in India is the result of traditional attitudes, urbanisation, industrialisation, migration, lack of education, etc. However, extreme poverty is the main cause of child labour. According to the UNICEF, India is said to have the largest number of world’s working children.

In India, working children are engaged in different organised and unorganized sectors, both rural and urban areas. In rural sector, children are engaged in field plantations, domestic jobs, forestry, fishing and cottage industry. In urban sector they are employed at houses, shops, restaurants, small and large industries, transport, communication, garages, etc. In India, working children are also self-employed as newspaper, milk boys, shoeshine boys, rag pickers, rickshaw-pullers, etc

All such adverse practices are to be abolished once for all, without leaving its traces for future generations. Children are the most important assets of any nation. Each child is an asset to the society. The future welfare of society is closely related to the welfare of the child.

Children are the future of the nation. They are flowers of our national garden. It is our duty to protect these flowers. Child labour is a socio-economic problem. Child labour is not a new phenomenon in India. From ancient times, children were required to do some work either at home or in the field along with their parents.

Child labour has been defined as any work done by the children in order to economically benefits their family or themselves directly or indirectly, at the cost of their physical, mental or social development. Child is the loveliest creation of nature. But it is the circumstances which force them to hard labour. They have to earn livelihood from early childhood, stopping their mental development. The nation suffers a net loss of their capacity as mature adults.

Child labour is exploited in several ways. Preference of child labour by many employers is mainly due to the fact that it is cheap, safe and without any liability. Many children take up the job just because of the non-availability of schools in their areas and thus rather than sitting idle, they prefer to go to work. Illiteracy and ignorance of parents is also an important factor. These parents do not consider child labour as evil. Child labourers have to work more than adult workers. They are exploited by their employers.

There are several constitutional and legal provisions to protect working children. Notwithstanding, the evils of child labour is on the increase. The biggest cause behind its spread is poverty. It cannot be completely eradicated from society unless its root cause is not addressed. Child labour perpetuates poverty.

Child labour is economically unsound, psychologically disastrous and ethically wrong. It should be strictly banned. The general improvement in socio-economic conditions of people will result in gradual elimination of child labour.

Child labour has been an international concern because it damages, spoils and destroys the future of children. The law in Indian soil says that any child below age of 14 cannot be employed either in a factory or office or restaurant. In fact India’s international business has been severely affected in many cases because child labour, violating human rights, have been used in some stage or the other in manufacturing, packaging and transportation of those items. And in a large number of cases of export of ready-made garments, prawn and several other items from India has been rejected on grounds of child labuor being used.

In a developed society where every citizen counts and all citizens have to have proper education, health care supports, games and entertainment and complete his education so that when he is a fully grown adult he can get a full employment with standard salary.

It is true that a number of laws have been imposed to prevent child labour. But they are more flouted than obeyed. The ban has been imposed to save the children from hazardous works and to restore their care-free childhood. But some opine that if the ban is imposed without the arrangements of proper rehabilitation of the child workers, it would be of no effect. There is no state which is free from the evil of child labour.

The curse of child labour is not continued to India alone. It has widely spread to such developing countries as Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma and Sri Lanka.

Poverty is not the only factor responsible for children being engaged as labour. They came cheaper and their parents don’t have employment opportunities. Appropriate social security measures should be adopted for ensuring the enactment of the law.

Indian government must come forward to remove this curse with adequate financial help to the poor family. Child Labour Act must be properly maintained and followed.

It symbolizes the need of children in building a healthy nation and society. Childhood is the first stage after infancy. It is the formative period in men's life. For their minds are very soft, receptive and plastic at this tender age.

Children’s mind is like potter's clay. It has to be shaped in a right manner. A child normally has to enjoy its childhood days with its parents, teachers, friends, etc. It is the age where fine and long lasting impressions gather in child's mind.

Childhood is the best time to develop spiritual, intellectual, emotional support. But this rule of nature has been crippled by the perilous child labour.

This conceals the talent and interests in them. Their urge to go to school is dismissed by their parents.

Childhood is a vital and powerful experience in each individual's lifetime. It is the most important and impressionable period of learning. Throughout all of the highs and the lows, childhood is remembered forever. Although children have many rights, in some developing countries these rights are not always protected.

Hard labour at an early age can really affect a person's outcome in the future. Child labour must be eliminated as quickly as possible, before many more children get trapped, like the millions who already have in the past. This terrible scam does not give children a fair chance in life; the chance for them to achieve their full potential. Each child deserves a good education, as well as the opportunity to enjoy life, learn new things, and most importantly have fun. We should pledge to do the all necessary things for our children.

(The author is a practicing Lawyer 

in South Goa)