CHILD LABOUR

Siddhant Yadav
Sep 8, 2018 · 3 min read
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwikkse6t6vdAhXaXSsKHWy-DUAQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblogs.wsj.com%2Findiarealtime%2F2014%2F10%2F10%2Fwhy-child-labor-isnt-illegal-in-india%2F&psig=AOvVaw1jRo5KnbuaKA-x2jQiL06-&ust=1536496983668947

India is a home to one of the largest number of child labourers in the world.
Children in India start working at an early stage. Many children work to give financial help to their families, while on the other hand, some families want their children to engange in the family business at a young age.

Yesterday, when I was travelling in a metro as usual, I saw a child at the metro station cleaning the platform as a sweeper. The boy was of around 12 years in age. I really got disappointed and willing to know that why he was working here? I went to him and to be friendly with him, I first offer him a chocolate I had in my bag pack. He gently takes that. Then I asked him that in which class is he studying? He replied that he never had to school in his life. I asked him, why? But, he did not reply. I again asked him that why are you working here because that is a government organisation and you are actually not eligible for that (too young). he firstly hesitated, but then he told me that the person at which place he was working was his father who had told him to work here and his father itself was working somewhere else for a better sum of money.

This really shook my head that how can a child labour be entertained on a govt organisation and how can a father let his 12-year-old son work like that?

India has followed a positive rules and regulation to tackle the problem of child labour. India has always stood for legal and developmental measures that are required to stop child labour from India. The Constitution of India consciously included relevant provisions for free elementary education of children of age 6 to 14 as well as labour protection for children. But unfortunately, the implementation and awareness of the law and the importance of the education are not satisfying.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi21LCF_qvdAhUBfSsKHbhFDhoQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DoAbzqETTYRs&psig=AOvVaw3QK7x8km01VK4bKIXZ0dew&ust=1536515931350468

Child labour is mostly encountered in the factory, mines, and construction sites. The Fundamental Rights in our Constitution don’t allow child labour below the age of 14 years in any factory or mine or engaged in any dangerous employment under Article 24.

Poverty, lack of education resources, social and economic backwardness and poor implementation of the law contribute to the growing child labour in India. Also, every individual is responsible for the child labour, as we ignore a lot of them in our daily life. We all found children searching in the garbage, working at construction sites, working in the factories and many dangerous places. But did we ever raise voice against this? I don’t think so, after all, many of us don’t care about that. But the person who hides the crime is likewise criminal as the one who had done that crime.

There are many NGOs that are working for the rights of children and their welfare. CRY (Child Rights and You) is one of them. This NGO raises voice against the evil like child labour. CRY is one of the well-known organisation, it is established in 1970s towards the elimination of child labour from India. Based on the motto that each of us can be a small tool of change. One can donate, volunteer, work for them, donate online, send cheque and be a part of making someone’s life better somewhere.

NGO information → https://www.scoopwhoop.com/organisations-in-india-you-can-volunteer-to-fight-child-labour/#.4obr6s4u3

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