The World Day against Child labour was held on June 12. According to the International labour Organisation (IlO) data, hundreds of millions of girls and boys throughout the world are involved in work that deprives them of receiving adequate education, health, leisure and basic freedoms, violating this way their rights. Of these children, more than half are exposed to the worst forms of child labour.
Globally over 1.5 billion people live in countries that are affected by conflict, violence and fragility. The 2017 World Day against Child labour focussed on the impact of conflicts and disasters on child labour.
According to Census of India, 2011, there were 12.26 million working children in the age group of 5-14 years as compared to 11.3 million in 1991 revealing an increasing trend in absolute numbers though the work participation rates of children in 5 to 14 years age group has come down from 5.4 per cent during 2001 to 5 percent during 2011. The Work Participation Rate (WPR) for different age groups among children, the trend is different. The WPR for children in 5 to 9 age group has marginally increased from less than 1 per cent during 2001 to 1.4 per cent during 2011. In the case of 10-14 years age group children, the decline is only marginal from 10.4 per cent during 2001 to 8.7 per cent during 2011. This indicates that a substantial number of children in the 10 to 14 age group are in the labour force despite the decline in the proportion of children in the total population.
Millions of families are being forced to leave their homes and villages for several months every year in search of livelihoods.
The children in such circumstances do not get opportunity for education and health care services. Children work in three sectors of the economy, such as the agrarian sector, industrial sector and service sector. Migration is one of the major contributory factors to child labour in urban areas.
Child labour violates international law and UN Conventions, including the IlO child labour conventions and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Over the past two decades, India has put in place a range of laws and programmes to address the problem of child labour. The Unicef and its India partners are working together to ensure that children are protected from work and exploitation which is harmful to their development. They are working to ensure that children remain in economically stable family homes and get the opportunity to go to school. To act in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the Indian Government has enacted Commission for Protection of Child Right Act, 2005, which was again amended in 2007.
This Act empowers the Government to constitute the National Commission for Protection of Child Right (NCPCR), thus in March 2007, the NCPCR was set up to protect, promote and defend child rights in the country.
States are also advised to constitute State Commission for Protection of Child Right in their respective sphere.
The Government of Odisha enacted the State Commissions for Protection of Child Right Rule, 2009, which has facilitated formation of the State Commission for Protection of Child Right, which would meet at least once in four month to address the child right issue.
The Child labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act was enacted in 1986.
As per the law, any person who employs any child in contravention of the provision of section 3 of the Act is liable for a term which shall not be less than three months but which may extend to two years’ or with fine which shall not be less than Rs 20,000 but which may extend to Rs 50,000 or with both.
In order to stop child labour, the Government of Odisha has passed some rules. One of the important rules is the Odisha Child labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Rules, 1994. India formulated a National Policy on Child labour in 1987. This policy seeks to adopt a gradual and sequential approach with focus on rehabilitation of children working in hazardous occupations. It envisioned strict enforcement of Indian laws on child labour combined with development programmes to address the root causes of child labour such as poverty.
Many NGOs have been working to eradicate child labour in India. Child labour has also been a subject of public interest litigations in Indian courts. Despite these efforts, child labour remains a major challenge for India.
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 to learn skills and earn a livelihood. According to the Economic Survey 2013-2014 conducted by the 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 Odisha Economic Survey 2014-2015 conducted by the Planning and Coordination Department reveals that 32,715 child labourers were admitted to 700 special schools under the NClP.
All children should get
benefit from free and appropriate education, which would enable them to gain productive employment later in life. Children’s rights cannot be fulfilled and protected unless the Governments and international organisations look behind the broad averages of development statistics and address the urban poverty and inequality that characterize the lives of so many children.