Design Journal: Child Labour in India

India is well knows for its abusive use of child labour. The children in India engage in day-to-day economic activity, which are threatening to their mental and physical wellbeing. Child labour usually occurs in an undeveloped country, where the law does not shelter children. Politically, India is unstable, as the politicians are largely corrupted and this causes intellectual growth retardation among citizens. This social stigma cause the occurrence of child labour and it is not taken as a serious issue among the elite and the ruling party. Poverty is another factor that feeds the growth of child labour, because the country will lack of proper schools, citizens health funding, death due to starvation, lack of water, and the main victims are the low cast communities who are often discriminated.

Child labour in India can be divided into many categories, the first one would be against their will, which is being kidnapped and sent away far from home to work in factories. Another category, is where their[children] mentally or physically unstable parents or guardian force them to work and bring some ‘bread’ back home, if not they[children] would be physically abused. In some family, the parent would be terminally ill, this situation forces the child to work in order to support his/her parent medical bill or even to sustain other siblings, because the corrupted government does not support them. Bad unemployment rate is another factor that forces children to work, it is so much cheaper to employ a child compared to an adult. Plus, standstill of a countries economy creates an environment where a school is a luxury only catered fro the rich and influential.

Child labour is on the rising bar in India, the government is strict about children under 14-years-old working. Only those aged between 14 to 18 years can work, but NEVER in hazardous industries. This rule falls under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, which allows 14-years of age eligible to be working. But not in hazardous industries such as the tobacco, stone crushing, mining, cement and chemical industries which can cause harm to their mental and psychical wellbeing.

Child labour is on the raise, the Indian government is set to debar the employment of child labour. In their [Indian government] policies, a child between the age of 14 to 18 can work but NEVER in hazardous industries. This is the Child Labour of Prohibition and Regulation Act, 1986 that allows this sort of privilege for poor families who has no choice. The type of industries that are considered hazardous are the tobacco, stone crushing, catering, mining, cement and food packaging factories.

The Indian Labour ministry is trying their hardest to be in tune with the international Labors organization (ILO). ILOs’ only allows children above 14-years of age to be employed. A Child has his/her rights to education, which is compulsory from the age of 6 to 14 years. Those of 14-years and above has to abide to the international laws that has been set to preserve human rights and prevent the abuse of human by higher hierarchy of authority.

“Once the changes are enacted employing any children below the age of 14 will be a criminal offence,” a senior government functionary said, adding that this was done to ensure the complete rights for children globally around the age of 6 – 14-years-old. Education is every humans basic necessity for survival and it cannot/shall not be taken away from them. As of a survey done in 2001, about 1.29 crores of children were victims of child labour. That’s was the last update, the 2011 survey is yet to be realized.

The employment of child labour can result in jail term or a fine up too rs. 20,000 and some cases both!