CHILD LABOUR - A MAJOR ISSUE

Child labour is one of the challenging problems in India. The practice of engaging young children in various sectors of labour is evident. It is astonishing to note that there is staggering figure between 60 and115 million working children in India perhaps the highest number in the world (Human Rights Watch, 1996). It is poverty that draws a child to earn money to support the needs of his family. Though it is prevalent in most parts of the country, the problem is acute in socio-economical weaker states like UP, Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and north-eastern states. Besides poverty, lack of education and accessible sources of credit forces poor parents to engage their children in child labour. India is forced to take up the challenge of providing basic amenities to these children.

It is seen that more than 85% of child labour is in the country’s rural areas, working in agricultural activities, such as farming, livestock rearing, forestry and fisheries. Children also develop skills in certain traditional crafts. These children contribute greatly to the national income.

The Government of India is keen to eradicate child labour. India’s unequivocal commitment to the cause of children is well expressed in constitutional provisions, legislations, policies and programmes. The Directive Principle of State Policy and the Fundamental Rights reveal the commitment of the government. Besides, India is also party to the UN Declaration on the Rights of the child, 1959. India adopted the national policy on children in 1974. India also ratified on December 2, 1992, the Convention on the Rights of Child of 1990. This ratification implies that India will ensure wide awareness about issues relating to children. India is also a signatory to the World Declaration on the survival, Protection and Development of children.

Child labour is a great socio-economic problem. Children essentially work to maintain the economic level of the households, either in the form of work for wages, or help in household enterprises, or in household chores. In all the activities the basic objective is to provide the family financial support. In some cases, it has been found that a child’s income accounted for between 34 and 37 percent of the total income of the household.

Poverty has a close connection with child labour. The population of poor people in India is comparatively high. As per the latest report of the Planning Commission, about 22% of the people live below the poverty line. It is of child labour which supports the essential requirements for the survival of the family. The combination of poverty and lack of social security network form the basis of even harsher type child labour-bonded child labour. The bonded children are forced to work hard to pay back sums of money previously borrowed from shrewd money lenders.

Literacy is one of the major determinants of child labour. Lack of education of a major section of the society makes them fall a prey to child labour. Free and compulsory education result in the increase of literacy rate. The policy of providing education for the masses immensely helps a corresponding decline in child labour.

The strong educational base of Kerala distinguishes it from other Indian states. The government of Kerala allocates more funds to education than any other state with a per capita expenditure of 11.5 rupees compared to the Indian average of 7.8 rupees. Moreover, Kerala spends more money on mass education which has led to a dropout ratio of close to zero percent. Here, child work participation ratio is almost zero compared to the Indian average of 7.1%. It is important to note that Kerala Government has made no special effort to curb child labour. It is the expansion of education that has succeeded.

An effective check on the spread of child labour, presupposes an improvement in the state of education. High illiteracy and dropout rates are reflective of the inadequacy of the educational system. Poverty plays a crucial role in the ineffectiveness of the educational system.

The complex issue of child labour is an issue of growing concern. Compulsory education and forceful enforcement of child labour laws alone cannot solve the crisis. The government of India must ensure that the needs of the poor are taken care of to efface child labour. Child labour poses a serious threat to the development of India. It is necessary to understand the ferocity of the problem in its true perspectives. The primary cause of child labour viz. poverty has to be wiped out fully.

The policies and programs of the government conform to its commitment which focuses on the eradication of child labour. Though enforcement is in existence, it has failed to be much effort. Measures have to be initiated in the proper manner by the government inorder to achieve the goal of eradication of child labour.