Child labour is a shame

First, the magnitude of the problem was clearly highlighted. Due to restrictions in the export-oriented industries, child labour is non-existent in that sector. They are mostly taken into the informal sector having been driven by sheer poverty. There are 13 lakh child workers in extremely hazardous professions with four lakh being absorbed in light engineering sector. In addition, there are many children who are working as domestic help, not to speak of teeming hundreds and thousands of street children and those hooked in child prostitution.

While poverty reigns supreme, law and compulsion can do very little to turn the tide. Generally it is said that if education spreads and social awareness against child labour grows, the problem will be automatically alleviated, but that will not be enough. There will have to be concrete alternatives for the engagement of children in career building activities, in contrast to premature job holding or allowing them to float as destitutes. There are two examples worthy of replication if we want to make a real headway: First, at the Unicef's initiative we have eight thousand education centres spread across six administrative divisions catering to the educational needs of two lakh children. Secondly, there are 45 child welfare primary schools for eight thousand children. There have been initiatives from NGOs and government's social welfare ministry for imparting vocational training to juveniles from vulnerable families. These are actually the projects that must be multiplied.

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