Child Labour in India Essay English
Although India professes to be a democratic country and a welfare state, it continues to have millions of people living below the poverty line. Children between the age groups of 5 to 15 are the bread winners in many houses.
Childhood for them spells hard labour in factories, shops, fields, houses as domestic workers. The match factories, knitwear industry, carpet weaving industry, constructions, bangle factories, glass factories and explosive manufacturing factories thrive on child labour. These children have no social security.
Their parents are unable to give them proper education and food. They are exploited and abused at the working places. Some of these children are kidnapped; some are sold by their parents themselves.
Working children below 18 years of age are considered as child labour According to our constitution they have a right to lead a secured, free life. They have a right to get free primary education. The main reasons behind child labour are illiteracy, malnutrition, hunger and poverty.
This curse won't come to an end till all above facts exist in our society. Deprived labour class cannot survive if their children do not earn. They have no other means to raise their income. They cannot send their children to school or to play.
This automatically affects the health of the children. One way to eradicate this practice is to ban the products manufactured by the factories that employ children. But taking away jobs or not allowing to work can worsen the situation. If these children do not earn, they cannot make their ends meet.
Instead, all of us should come forward and support organizations that are raising awareness, and providing direct help to individual children. Voluntary organizations help and make genuine contributions but that is not sufficient.
Government, leaders, social welfare organizations, and every class of the society should take collective measures. People should be made aware that child labour is prohibited by law. Efforts should be made to eradicate poverty. Primary education should be made compulsory. Education
must be widespread, affordable, and relevant. More and more employment facilities should be made available. The rate of industrialization should be increased. Cottage industries should be encouraged. Family planning programmes should be implemented so that families are not burdened by children.
All these measures would boost the number of employment opportunities and our country would be on progressive path.