The International labour Organisation (IlO) launched the World Day against Child labour on June 12 to attract attention on the global extent of child labour and the action and efforts needed to eliminate it. The theme for this year is ‘Child labour and Supply Chains.’
Supply chains are the sequence of activities/processes involved in the production and distribution of a product. With globalisation, supply chains have become increasingly complex, involving workers, small producers, and enterprises around the world. While most child labour occurs in production for domestic markets, children can also be found working in the production of goods and services for export.
Today, throughout the world, around 215 million children work, many full-time. There are 168 million child labourers aged 5-17 years worldwide, which is 11 per cent of the world’s child population, according to an IlO report. They do not go to school and have little or no time to play. Many do not receive proper nutrition or care. More than half of them are exposed to the worst forms of child labour such as work in hazardous environments, slavery, or other forms of forced labour.
In India there are 11.7 million child labourers and 4.35 million working children in the age group of 5-14, according to the 2011 census. According 2001census, there were 12.26 million working children in the age group of 5-14 years. Child labour has been decreasing at an abysmal rate from 2001 to 2011. Poverty, lack of good schools and growth of informal economy are considered as the important causes of child labour in India.
In Odisha, there are a number of child labourers working in different districts. The State/national level leading child rights networks like Campaign Against Child labour (CACl), Forum Against Child Exploitation (FACE) and the State Institute of labour, Government of Odisha put the figure of 30 lakhs working children in the age group of 6-14 years. Children work in different occupations such as agriculture and allied works, domestic work, hotels and roadside dhabas, motor garage, rag picking, building and construction works, cycle and automobiles repair etc. In Bhubaneswar, children are working in railway stations, hotels, and garages and many in hazardous industries. There are approximately 30,000 child workers in Bhubaneswar.
In 2010 the international community adopted a roadmap for achieving the elimination of the worst forms of child labour by 2016, which stressed that child labour is an impediment to children’s rights and a barrier to development. There are many provisions added in the Constitution of India for child welfare to overcome child labour and to avoid the situations that comes as a consequence of the child labour.
In order to stop child labour, the Government of Odisha has passed some rules. One of the important rules is Orissa Child labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Rules, 1994.
Besides, the Government of India adopted various programmes for the eradication of child labour in India. The Ministry of labour and Employment has implemented the national policy through the establishment of National Child labour Projects (NClPs) for the rehabilitation of child workers since 1988. Initially, these projects were industry specific and aimed at rehabilitating children working in traditional child labour endemic industries. A renewed commitment to fulfil the constitutional mandate resulted in enlarging the ambit of the NClPs in 1994 to rehabilitate children working in hazardous occupations. The Government of India is stepping up its fight against child labour. Under new laws, all labour involving children under fourteen years old is illegal. Children under 18 years old are also protected from any type of hazardous work.
There are many solutions to stop child labour. Income of the families should be increased and education for all children irrespective of their economic and social background should be ensured, that helps children learn skills and earn a livelihood. According to the Economic Survey 2013-2014 conducted by Planning and Coordination Department, 34,409 child labourers (between 5 and 14) were admitted to 812 special schools under National Child labour Projects (NClP). Similarly, the Orissa Economic Survey 2014-2015 conducted by Planning and Coordination Department reveals that 32,715 child labourers were admitted to 700 special schools under NClP.
Children’s development and the overall eradication of child labour problem depend on active public private partnership, proper Government policies and programmes for eliminating poverty and unemployment and provision of free basic facilities and education to poor people in the society.
A number of cities and metropolitan areas around the world are implementing the “Smart City” concept. The smart city mission in India is to improve the quality of life in 100 fast growing urban centres, including Bhubaneswar. The aim is to increase all citizens quality of life and to improve the efficiency and quality of the services provided by city planning authorities. Besides, the Smart City should provide more inclusive environment for the children to study in a smart environment. Bhubaneswar leads in the Smart City race and topped the list. However, we cannot dream of a Smart City where children are not safe. Therefore, children right should be the top priority for smart cities. Authorities should emphasize and motivate the children and their parents towards mainstream education to abolish child labour in the city.
(Dr Praharaj works as faculty member in the Department of Architecture, College of Engineering and Technology, Bhubaneswar)