Introduction
Life is not the same for everyone. If you are enjoying the lavish lives then it doesn’t mean that the child standing beside you is also having the same. In the developing country like India, one out of every child is engaged in work that too illegally. Child labor is a socio-economic phenomenon that is trapped in the vicious circle by poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, demographic expansion; deep social prejudices areas the most prominent causative factors for large scale employment children.
Child labor is something that replaces the normal activities a child, like education, playing, etc., by economic activities. These economic activities may be paid or unpaid work, which benefits the family of the child or the owner the child work’s for. The age limit is restricted to fourteen years or even seventeen years in case of dangerous works. I would like to explore and learn more about the topic of child labor act 1986 with its reasons, solution, challenges in the further paragraphs.
What is Child Labour?
Child labourer is a bane to any country and the reason for this problem is more or less the same in all the countries. Typically, all the reasons for this social cause steam from families living in extreme poverty which makes their condition vulnerable, and they are forced to send their kids to works and earn living to survive.
In a country like India where children are considered as the future of the country child labor is the hot topic among all the intelligence committees and political circles. The irresponsible parents also send their children to work in homes, factories offices and other places to earn a short amount of money. The rights of that child to go to school get educated & normal childhood gets denied. These demanding works often spoil childhood and give a harder way of living to the kids.
Moreover, this force of survival is not the only reason but the greediness of the parents who send their kids to work just only to increase their income, and along with this the employers, their part prefers child laborers against adults taking advantage of low labor cost. Furthermore, Child trafficking is also another factor that leads to child labor. Trafficked children have no home. They are sent to faraway places unknown to them. Ultimately, these little souls are pushed into extremely torturing and dangerous work conditions, such as prostitution, domestic helping, transport of drugs, etc.
Current Indian Scenario-
According to the Mint report, India is one of the leading countries in Asia in terms of child labor and India; the national capital only shares 1 million labors alone.
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Cabinet Initiative
Usually, several laws regulate the working condition of children in the employment sector that prevent them from exploitation by employers accordingly with the need of the era. The child labor (prohibition and regulation) act, 1986 was enacted. The first and foremost object of this act is that is it completely prohibits the employment of children below the age f 14 to 15 years. Secondly. The act also has modified the definition of child, improved work condition of children in employer, and has also said that those who violate these government instructions will be charges high penalties.
The act also empowers the government to make periodic inspection of places at which employment of children and adolescents are prohibited and have also set up a Child and Adolescent Labour Rehabilitation Fund to be set up under the Act for the rehabilitation of children and adolescents.
CHALLENGES IN CONTROLLING CHILD LABOUR
- No therapy sessions:
The next major problem faced by the government people is the lack of rehabilitation facilities for the children who have been saved from the devil grips of child labor. After saving these children from the devil hands they are left with an unanswered question that how to bring back their life on the correct track. Proper counseling and nutrition play an indispensable role to help them thrive. - Lack of Awareness:
More awareness needs to be created in rural and urban areas. Adults including the parents should be taught about the negative impacts of child labor on the minds of children. They should also be explained about the power of education and the various schemes which promise a free basic education for kids. It is even more important to emphasize how education empowers girls and makes their lives better. - Vague laws:
Considering the need for the time the administration has laid down many acts and bills to diminish the hex of child labor but the nature of these bills and acts are quite problematic. Like most of the laws are unable to dictate strict guidelines and if some are able then people in unorganized sectors are unable to follow because of lack of awareness and education.
Probable Solutions-
- Strict implementation of work laws
Strict implementation of work laws is the basic and most important requirement to lessen this problem now is the time to strictly implement the laws of the act. Then only we can put an end to the continuous harassment faced by our kids and help them have a bright future not only for themselves for the nation as a whole. The new union should be made that benefit in stopping child labor. - Parents’ awareness:
Parents rather than forcing their children to go to work make them study. They must consider the fact that the education of their children should be their priority that needs to be fulfilled at any cost. In this movement, the schools should also cooperate by providing free education to the children without any obstruction. - Job opportunities:
The government should try to create more employment opportunities for adults to decrease the issue of poverty as well as child labor. Along with this, every single family member should try to earn their minimum earnings to preventing the problem of child labor and poverty. - Online portals:
Since 1988, the National Child Labour Project Scheme started a mission to rescue child laborers working in hazardous occupations. When children are rescued, they are enrolled in Special Training Centres and given education, meals, stipend, health care, and recreation. Eventually, they are directed towards mainstream education. Adolescents rescued are given skilled training and suitable jobs. - Sensitization:
The local governments and welfare centers who work to severe the society have definite roles in the welfare of a child, many programs are being conducted to create awareness and sensitize the common people. Several coordination and action groups have been formed at State and District levels to monitor.
Conclusion
Child labor is not only forcing a child not to go to work but also torturing him emotionally and mentally and spoiling their most memorable moments of childhood. On the one hand, we say that these are the future of our country and on the other hand we only exploit them. After all, what kind of citizens do we expect them to grow into after such kind of abuse? We need to think about this matter carefully.
