Child labor – the road ahead

In 1986, Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act was enforced but child labour even today is a huge challenge for India. In a recent study conducted on Earth day (April 22) by ASSOCHAM it has been found that over 4.5 lakh child labours engaged in e-waste activities in India. This reflects to the poor state of child labour in our country. As per the ASSOCHAM study, India is likely to generate e-waste to an extent of 15 Lakh metric tonnes (MT) per annum by 2015 from the current level 12.5 Lakh MT per annum growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 25 per cent.  As per Dr. B K Rao, Chairman of ASSOCHAM Health committee, the recyclers are not fully aware of the health risks and deadly mix of toxic can cause severe health problems in those handling the waste. 

Poverty and lack of social security are the main causes of child labour. Another major concern is that the actual number of child labourers goes un-detected. Laws that are meant to protect children from hazardous labour are ineffective and not implemented correctly. In spite of the constant amendments to the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986, where more employments have been added to the list of occupations there has not been significant difference. There have also been several criticisms for the act since it is quite about child labour in non- hazardous occupations. So, several more amendments to the acts are required. Parliament panel has recommended several amendments such as punishment to repeated offenders for allowing their children to work and fine may be collected from errant employers for a fund, which it named 'The Child Welfare Fund', used for rehabilitation of the rescued children. The standing committee in its reports on the Bill, which was tabled in Lok Sabha, also recommended for striking out a provision in it that allows for children helping their parents in domestic chores. The committee has also recommended making appropriate rules to prohibit and regulate employment of children and adolescent in audio-visual entertain industry.

In addition to this, National Commission for Protection of Child rights (NCPCR) today laid down a set of recommendations to extend social protection to child labourers. It has underlined the need for a baseline survey to ascertain the number of children employed as labourers and underscored the need for greater clarity to highlight the linkages of social security schemes with child rights.

There is an urgent need for sensitization since the young children facing the atrocities constitute the youth of the country. India as a nation has huge human resource capital which if educated and employed properly can lead to significant development.