Isn’t it disturbing to know that the future of India, instead of going to schools, is actually engaged in factories, restaurants, houses, mines, etc? Doesn’t the mere thought of little innocent kids doing all sorts of odd jobs prick our conscience? Not only does it run against the law, but also challenges the moral that we, as Indians, take pride in. As insidious as it may sound, it is still prevalent and we somehow manage to make it appear ‘normal’ to the extent that we almost do not see anything wrong with it!
Image Source: Rediff.com
The most invisible and ‘okay’ form of child labour present in our nation is that of domestic workers. Most middle class family has invariably employed a young boy or a girl to carry out their daily errands and chores. Surprisingly, they seem to have no objection with it either! The aspect that I wish to touch upon here is that did none of their employers ever think about the fact that these children, instead of attending school, are working for their daily bread? Did it never cross their minds to pause and ponder over the fact that these kids are being denied the opportunity to experience the pleasures of childhood and are being forced to earn money at such a young age? It is in these subtle manners that we are encouraging this evil to proliferate.
Most people quite conveniently state poverty as the reason why these kids are dragged to work in the first place and hence they are not to be blamed for employing them. But this statement does not provide any rational justification! In fact, I believe, there can be no rational justification to a crime such as this. More surprisingly, people even go on to state that they are indeed helping the families of these kids by giving them money for the work they do! Poverty, of course, lies at its root but this cannot be used as an excuse. Lack of education due to various reason teamed with poverty create the breeding ground for activities such as these. It is in these circumstances that government intervention becomes all the more
Image Source: Rediff.com
important. Although over time the number of children who fall prey to this atrocious crime has reduced, the figures are still alarming. As of 2011, 4353247 children were victims of it according to the 2011 Census. It is simply outrageous to even imagine the gravity of this problem. Despite having a number of provisions such as Article 21A, 24 and 39 and other policies in effect, the situation appears to be static.
Taking a moral stand, it is unacceptable to allow children (below 14 years of age) to work for money. How can one stay content knowing that a little child is doing what even an adult would find difficult to do? More importantly, how can we as a society turn a blind eye towards it when it is always staring right into us? In every nook and corner, the local eateries employ children to clean the eating place and serve food to the customers and people, very casually, ignore it.
The most despicable form of child labour is employment in mines and factories. When kids are employed in mines and factories and are made to work under inhumane conditions it heightens the intensity of this issue. With extended working hours, low wages, and pathetic working conditions, children are exploited to the maximum extent. And if this is not enough, sexual abuse as a phenomenon comes into play. Despite living in hellish conditions, these kids undergo severe trauma which as an immense psychological impact on their lives.
Image source: cidindia.org
The important question to ask here is whether laws and rules will alone suffice to eradicate this problem? The solution to tackle any and every social problem lies with the people, within the society. Laws and rules can never have the desired impact until and unless it not coupled with individual or societal efforts. Thanks to people like Kailash Satyarthi who has made commendable efforts in order to deal with child labour and has successfully managed to provide relief to a number of children who were trapped in this ugly business. But there is a pressing need for many more Kailash Satyarthis to be able to fully deal with it. The government needs to put in place immediate relief programs and ensure their proper implementation and carry out a follow-up plan. Assuming much greater importance is the need for rehabilitation of these kids so that they can adjust to the society in a better manner and are able to function effectively as members of the society. However, greater responsibility lies with the people of this nation because the government can only do so much.
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Tags: Child labour Child labour in India Kailash Satyarthi
