Child Labor No Child Is Born To Work

JUST COMPARE…

Our Childhood

Their Childhood

Our Childhood

Their Childhood

What Is Child Labor?

It is work that children aged under 14 should not be doing because they are too young to work and it is dangerous or otherwise unsuitable for them.

The Scenario In India

India is home to more than 12.6 million children who are forced to work in order to survive.

Children are working as domestic help, on streets, in factories and farmlands silently suffering abuse.

A major concern is that the actual number of child laborers goes un-detected. Laws that are meant to protect children from dangerous labor are ineffective and not implemented correctly.

What Happens In Child Labor?

Children are used as domestic workers in urban areas.

They are often made to work without food, and very low wages.

There are cases of physical, sexual and emotional abuse of child domestic workers.

Many forms of child labor are harmful and they violate the child’s freedom and human rights.

Children receive no payment if they are injured or become ill, and can seek no protection if they suffer violence.

What Causes Child Labor?

Poverty and lack of social security are the main causes of child labor.

The increasing gap between the rich and the poor

Lack of quality education has also contributed to children dropping out of school and entering the labor force.

Types Of Child Labors?

Children are engaged in agricultural labor, in mining, in manufacturing, in domestic service and begging on the streets.

Others are trapped in forms of slavery in armed conflicts and forced labor as well as in commercial sexual exploitation and illegal activities, such as drug trafficking and organized begging, etc.

Bonded LaborYoung children are sold to employers by their parents to pay back small loans that they have borrowed. Such children are made to work for many hours a day over several years. According to a study, there are about 10 million bonded child laborers working as house servants in Indian families. According to another study recently estimated that there were nearly 55 million children in India working as bonded laborers in agriculture, mining, brick-kilns, construction work, carpet weaving, fireworks, cigarette-making, gem-cutting, domestic work, etc. About 20 percent of these bonded child laborers were sold to cover some small debts obtained by their parents.

Street WorkScavenging is the work that faces children with the most extreme risk. As many of them work with bare feet, they get cuts; they are also exposed to extreme weather conditions, sunstroke, pneumonia, influenza and malaria. They have to carry heavy loads, which stunts their physical growth. They face digestive disorders and food poisoning as they eat thrown away or left over food. A recent study conducted in Delhi found they were at risk of catching Aids, as they may accidentally come into contact with infected needles deposited in the refuse. Since animals scavenge in the same heaps of refuse, dog bites are quite common among these children.

Agriculture Sector

Poverty is the main cause of child labor in agriculture. Worldwide 60 percent of all child laborers in the age group 5 - 14 years work in agriculture, including farming, fishing, aquaculture, forestry, etc. This amounts to over 129 million girls and boys. The majority of child laborers are unpaid family members. In agriculture this percentage is higher, and is combined with very early entry into work, sometimes between 5 and 7 years of age. Agriculture is one of the three most dangerous sectors in terms of work-related fatalities, non-fatal accidents and occupational diseases. About 59 percent of all children in hazardous work aged 5–14 are in agriculture.

The Main Thing

Is...

How Can We Stop It?

Despite the enormity of the problem, child labor is a phenomenon that can be combated, not only by policy makers, but also by ordinary citizens.  Below are some suggestions on what students can do to take action and get involved in the fight against child labor:

Inform yourselves- The first thing you can do is BE AWARE about the state of child labor in the world, and be informed about the abuses and injustices that go on. It affects you more than you would think. Then you are in a position to go and inform other people about child labor.

Recruit others into the campaign- In your region, establish contact with other young people in schools and community groups who could work with you in your action against child labor.

Link up with others- You can combine your efforts with those of other people by using the 12 to 12 Community Portalto end child labor. Check into the portal regularly and share your awareness-raising ideas and experiences with other young people from around the world. By sharing your actions you can inspire others to carry out a similar initiative and increase the impact of your efforts! 

Sensitize others-Create a presentation pack to raise awareness on child labor using the resources and photos available on the following web pages: ILO/IPEC campaign and advocacy, ILO/IPEC information resources database, ILO photo gallery.

Awareness raising- Organize an event to raise awareness about child labor. This could be a play, concert or public debate. Remember to also involve parents and family members, who can be precious sources of knowledge and inspiration. Perhaps you could make posters or write to newspapers or magazines about the issue.

No individual, no organization, even the largest one, can begin to stop child labor on its own, and no action, even the smallest, can be dismissed as being too small to bring about change. It is only through joining the forces of

goodwill on all levels of society that we can hope to put an end to child

labor.

By Gamini Khurana