Introduction

In 2002, the International Labour Organization (ILO) established 12 June as the World Day Against Child Labour to raise awareness of the global issue of child labour and advocate for its elimination. 

About

This year, in 2024, the day is being celebrated under the theme “Let’s Act on our Commitments: End Child Labour”, which emphasizes the need for collective action to eliminate child labour and protect children from exploitation.

This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labour. It is also a chance to encourage all stakeholders to enhance the implementation of the two main conventions on child labour, namely Convention No. 182 and Convention No. 138, on the minimum age for entry into employment or work

What is Child Labour?

  • Hazardous child labour: This includes children working in hazardous environments or performing jobs that pose significant risks to their health, safety or morals. Examples include mining, construction, manufacturing with hazardous chemicals, and work involving heavy machinery.
  • Domestic Child Labour: Children, mainly girls are employed within households for tasks such as cooking, cleaning and childcare. This often includes long hours, minimum wages, and potential risks of abuse.
  • Bonded Child Labour: Children are forced to work to repay debts incurred by their families. This traps them in a cycle of exploitation, as debt often becomes insurmountable.
  • Child trafficking: Children are recruited, transported, or sheltered for the purpose of exploitation, which may include forced labor, sexual exploitation, or organ trafficking.
  • Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC): Children are used in commercial sexual acts, including prostitution and pornography. This is a serious violation of their rights and welfare.
Source: Wikimedia

Child labour in India: Data Facts

According to UNICEF, child labour is about 13% of our workforce, or in other words, 1 in every 10 workers in India is a child.

According to the 2011 census, there are about 10.1 million child labourers in India aged 5 to 14 years.

Out of the total child labour population, the number of boys is about 56 million and the number of girls is about 45 million.

The prevalence of child labour in rural areas (14%) is three times higher than in urban areas (5%).

The majority of child labourers (about 70%) work in the agricultural sector, which includes farming, livestock, forestry and fisheries, followed by 20% in services.

Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of child labourers, about 2.1 million

Impacts

  • Health and Physical Development: Child labour with poor nutrition stunts the growth and development of the child.
  • Educational impact: This will increase school dropouts and absenteeism and missing out on education will result in lower literacy rates and lack of necessary skills.
  • Economic impact: Child labour contributes to the cycle of poverty. As children grow up without proper education and skills, they are likely to persist in low-paying, unskilled jobs.
  • Social Inequality: Child labour reinforces social inequalities, as children from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to be pushed into work.

Steps Taken to Eradicate Child Labour in India

  • Indian Constitution: Article 21A (Right to Education): The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of 6 to 14 years, in such manner as the State may, by law, determine.
  • Article 23: Forced labour of any kind is prohibited. 
  • Article 24: It states that a child below the age of 14 years shall not be employed to do any hazardous work in a factory or mine.
  • Article 39: It says that “the health and power of workers, men and women, and the young age of children are not abused”. 
  • Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986: It prohibits children below the age of 14 years from working in hazardous industries and processes.
  • National Policy on Child Labour, 1987: It contains a plan of action to tackle the problem of child labour.
  • Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015: It regulates laws relating to children found to be alleged and contrary to law.
  • Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012: It seeks to prevent commercial sexual exploitation of children.
  • The Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Care and Rehabilitation) Bill: There are specified penalties for offences divided into “trafficking” and “serious trafficking”. It widened the scope of “victims” to include transgender individuals.
  • National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme: The government introduced it in 1988 to rehabilitate working children in 12 child labour endemic districts of the country and expanded it over time. It is the premier Central Sector Scheme for rehabilitation of child labour.
  • Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act (CALPRA): CALPRA states that no child shall be allowed to work for more than five hours in a day and three hours without rest. The provisions of CALAPRA also state that at least 20% of the income earned by the child from the production or event is to be directly deposited in a fixed deposit account in a nationalized bank in the name of the child, which can be credited to him when he becomes an adult. 
  • Effective Enforcement Platform for the Prohibition of Child Labour (PENCIL): It is an electronic platform that aims to involve the Centre, state, district, governments, civil society and general public in achieving the goal of a child labour free society.
Source: Wikimedia

International Efforts

The United Nations made 2021 the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour, calling for urgent action to meet the goal of ending this practice by 2025.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) target 8.7 was adopted by world leaders in 2015, which includes a new global commitment to end child labour. 

Alliance 8.7: It is an inclusive global partnership committed to achieving target 8.7 of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It works for the eradication of forced labor, modern slavery, human trafficking, and child labor around the world.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) currently serves as the secretariat for Alliance 8.7.

Challenges in Tackling Child labours

  • Poverty and Economic Pressure: High poverty rates force families to depend on the income generated by their children to meet basic needs.
  • Lack of Access to Quality Education: Inadequate educational infrastructure, lack of schools, and poor quality of education discourage attendance and perfection.
  • Poor enforcement of laws: Inadequate implementation and monitoring of child labour laws due to corruption, lack of resources, and administrative inefficiencies.
  • Informal Economy and Unregulated Sector: A significant portion of child labour occurs in informal sectors such as agriculture, domestic work, and small-scale industries, which are difficult to regulate.
  • Cultural norms and social acceptance: Child labour is culturally accepted in many communities and is seen as a norm, making it challenging to change mindsets.
  • Migration and Displacement: Migrant families and displaced populations are more vulnerable to child labour due to stagnant incomes and lack of access to social services.
  • Lack of awareness: Many parents and communities are unaware of the long-term negative effects of child labour and the benefits of education.
  • Gender inequalities: Girls are particularly vulnerable to exploitation in household chores and are often excluded from school to help with household chores.
  • Impact of COVID-19: The pandemic has worsened the situation, pushing more children into labour due to economic hardship, school closures, and lack of access to distance learning.

Way Forward

Ensuring Access to Quality Education: To empower children with the knowledge and skills required to break free from the barriers of child labour.

Strengthening the enforcement of labour laws and providing social security: Strengthen labour law enforcement and implement comprehensive social security measures to protect children from exploitation.

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