Child Labour in India: Challenges and Insights

The issue of child labour in India is not just a socio-economic problem but a critical challenge that demands urgent attention and action. This discussion explores the various dimensions of child labour, the government's response, and the pressing need for reform.

Advertising and Awareness

• An impactful advertisement by Ogilvy India highlighted the irony of child labour by suggesting that 7.8 million children working should be laid off so unemployed adults can take their place.
• The advertisement creatively communicated the need for children to focus on education rather than work.

Current Situation

• UNICEF's analysis of the Union government's Periodic Labour Force Survey 2018-19 revealed that child labour numbers range from 18 lakh to 33 lakh, depending on the definition used.
• Child labour is prevalent mostly in the agricultural sector, followed by industrial sectors like manufacturing and construction.

Worst Forms of Child Labour

• Children are involved in hazardous jobs in industries such as match and fireworks manufacturing, glass, leather, brick kilns, coal mines, and construction.
• Such jobs expose children to dangerous conditions, abuse, low wages, and health risks due to poor sanitation and exposure to toxic materials.

Link to Poverty

• According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), child labour is both a cause and consequence of poverty, pushing children to work for survival.
• In India, poverty is severe, with half of the world's wasted children (low weight for height) living in the country.

Government Apathy and Challenges

• Recent parliamentary queries on child labour revealed gaps in data; records showed only 613 cases registered under the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, in 2021, with no clear urban-rural division.
• The absence of updated census data since 2011 hinders an accurate understanding of the problem's scale.

Need for Stricter Enforcement

• Article 24 of the Indian Constitution prohibits child labour under 14 years, yet enforcement of these laws remains weak.
• Instances like the rescue of 58 children in Madhya Pradesh highlight the enforcement challenges and the need for stricter law application.

Government Initiatives and Future Directions

• The government claims to prioritize the eradication of child labour by enforcing bans and improving access to education, health, and nutrition.
• However, progress is slow, with much still needed to address the socio-economic factors driving child labour.

This comprehensive overview underscores the need for improved policy enforcement, awareness, and socio-economic reform to eliminate child labour in India.