The International labour Organisation (IlO) launched the World Day Against Child labour on June 12 to focus attention on the global extent of child labour and the action and efforts needed to eliminate it. This year, the day focuses on the global need to improve the safety and health of young workers and end child labour.
Odisha has 2, 15,222 child labourers, including 1, 21,526 boys and 93,696 girls. As many as 23, 761 children are engaged in hazardous occupation and 1, 91,461 children in non-hazardous condition. According to the survey report of the Directorate of labour and Employment, Government of Odisha, 90 per cent of child labour in Odisha comes from the rural areas. In cities and towns, growth of urban slums propels the child labour force. They are all exploited, exposed to hazardous work and grossly abused because working arrangement is informal and social protection is almost non-existent.
Migration is an integral part of rural livelihood in Odisha and people move to other States in search of work and better wages. Migration is more pronounced in KBK region because of difficult living conditions. This vulnerable group of workers moving from one State to another often does not have access to the Government schemes for social security, health, education and welfare benefits. Often, because of the seasonal nature of their work, these workers move with their families and children are the worst sufferers. They discontinue their education in the source States and move with the families to the destination States and subsequently become child labourers.
Children resort to living and working on the streets for various reasons such as violence or abuse at home or poverty. While abuse, conflict or neglect can happen in any family, children whose poverty and marginalisation leave them with few choices often see the street as the best available option for escape. living on the street exposes them to violence and harsh living conditions. As per the 2011 census, India has 1.77 million homeless people out of which 0.27 million (15.3 per cent) are children in 0–6 years age group. 0.94 million (52.9 per cent) of homeless people reside in urban areas out of which 0.11 million are children in 0–6 years age group. These children constitute 41.7 per cent of the total homeless children population in India and 12.0 per cent of the total urban homeless population.
Urban areas offer great potential to secure children’s rights and accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).At the same time, it is essential to note that children in urban settings face a particularly complex set of challenges with regard to their development and the fulfillment of their rights. Children engaged in the urban informal sector are usually unskilled or semi-skilled workers who are unprotected by the labor union laws. They may be classified as self-employed, casual workers, regular wage employees, contract workers and apprentices. Children in small family businesses are generally unpaid or given some pocket money to retain their interest in the work.
The problem of street children is somewhat different from that of child labour in factories and workshops. For one thing, most children have some sort of home to go back to in the evenings or nights, while street children are completely alone and are at the mercy of their employers. So their problem is more acute than that of children working in a factory and living at home.
In Bhubaneswar children are working in railway station, hotels, and garages and many in hazardous industries. There are approximately 30,000 child workers in Bhubaneswar. The street children in the city are the rag pickers those who generally stay with their parents and family members. Their socio-economic condition is very poor which makes them to go for rag picking activities.
Urban local Governments in India need to ensure that marginalised children in urban centres receive greater attention and investment. The National Child labour Project (NClP) is a Government sponsored scheme meant for such children. Special schools were opened under the scheme where working children were enrolled, provided with education, nutritive food, monthly stipend, healthcare facilities and marketable vocational skill and finally after three years mainstreamed into the regular schools. These special schools act like a bridge for such children which give them education and admit them in a school instead of engaging at a workplace.
With a view to bringing child labourers, which are still prevalent in Odisha, into the mainstream of formal education system, 24 National Child labour Projects (NClP), one each in 24 of 30 districts, are operating in the State, according to the Economic Survey Report. The Odisha Economic Survey 2014-2015 conducted by Planning and Coordination Department reveals that 32,715 child labourers were admitted to 700 special schools under NClP.
In a number of cases, children’s requirements are often neglected by city planning processes and mainstream discussions about urbanism.
Inclusive and child-friendly cities must provide a physical environment that ensures free education for all children. Eradicationof child labour is imperative for the Government. Initiatives at the grassroots level to identify vulnerable families and children and subsequently linking them with various income generation and social protection schemes shall be a key factor for prevention of child labour. Strict enforcement of labour laws with special focus on Child labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act will definitely curb child labour.
The children right should be the top priority for cities. Childfriendly cities will offer a new perspective to urban planning and governance. Authorities should emphasise and motivate the children and their parents towards mainstream education to abolish child labour in the city. Steps should be taken to make people aware of the consequences of child labor. Planners, Government and nor-Government organisations should take various steps to eradicate child labour so that all children will get free education and live a healthy life.
(Dr Praharaj teaches in Department of Architecture, College of Engineering and Technology, Bhubaneswar)