Reference Feature

Child labour is simply the most severe form of child exploitation and child abuse in the world today. In any society, working children, as a socio-economic group, happens to be the most disadvantaged of all since "they are forced to work for a living, sacrificing their childhood as well as their future for bare survival of self and family" (Masum 1999). Today, as individual well being increasingly depends on literacy, numeracy and intellectual competence, a child working is in fact a future denied.

The overwhelming majority of working children is found in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Child labour also exists in many industrialised countries and is emerging in a number of East European countries that are now in transition to a free market economy. Although Bangladesh accounts for less than 2 percent of the world population, it is the home of 6.6 million working children, accounting for more than 5 percent of the world's working child population numbering 120 million. In Bangladesh children are found working in almost all the sectors of the economy except mining, quarrying, electricity, gas and water. Many of them work 48 hours a week on an average, earning less than 500 taka per month. A large number of children work in occupations and industries, which are plainly dangerous and hazardous.

Early involvement of children in work leads to serious health and developmental consequences. Working children suffer significant growth deficits as compared with school children. They grow up shorter and lighter, and their body size continues to be smaller even in adulthood. Many of them work under conditions that leave them alarmingly vulnerable to chemical and biological hazards. Child workers tend to develop muscular, chest and abdominal pain, headaches, dizziness, respiratory infections, diarrhoea and worm infection. Poor working conditions make them more susceptible than their adult colleagues to infectious diseases, injuries and other workplace-related ailments. Many even experience amputations or loss of body parts. Moreover, children in certain occupations experience particular types of abuse. Child domestic workers are often found to be victims of verbal and sexual abuse, beating or punishment by starvation. Children, engaged in scavenging, rag-picking or marginal economic activities in the streets, are exposed to drugs, violence, and criminal activities, physical and sexual abuse in many parts of the country.

Children have the right to be children: "to be loved, cherished, educated, nourished, clothed, pampered, and fostered as children when they are children" (Hasnat 1996, quoted from Natoli 1992). Child labour is, then, a denial of the right to enjoy childhood and achieve full physical and psychological development. Worse still, many hundreds of children are trapped in forced labour, debt bondage, prostitution and other kinds of jobs that cause lasting and devastating damage. Obviously the formulation of a National Plan of Action for the elimination of child labour in the country is a need of the hour. A critical evaluation of the nature and magnitude of the problem should, however, precede such an exercise. This paper is intended to serve as a humble step in that direction. Supply factors: Poverty is the single most important factor responsible for the prevalence of child labour in the country. About 55 million people live below the poverty line in Bangladesh. Poor households badly need the money that their children earn. They commonly contribute around 20-25 percent of family income. Since poor households spend the bulk of their income on food, the earnings of working children are critical to their survival.

Reference Interview

My name is Bhola Munda son of late Shri. Santosh Munda and late Smt. Tulsi Devi, Village Salguri, District Kishanganj, Bihar State.

What kind of work do you do? Did the union bring about any change in the work life?
I used to work at a brick kiln with my parents. My parents are no more (…snake bite). I learn to read and write after I joined the school as also about health, hygiene and discipline. I enjoy studying at school.

How many children are registered in your school?
There are 102 children in my school out of which 37 are girls and the remaining 65 are boys.

Who told you that you should go to school? Did you decide?
I was persuaded by Shri. Jagolal Das, President of HKMP Union, to join school. He got my name enrolled in the Residential Child Labour School at Village Belgachhi. I was told that Union is running a residential school where I could study and work for a better future. My future will be doomed if I spend my childhood in the brick kiln and will never be able to come out of this vicious circle. The Union school will provide me chance to change my future.

What has schooling improved in your life 
While I worked at the Brick Kiln, it was tough. Often I used to be the recipient of verbal scolding from the owner and the supervisor. Circumstances made me work from morning till evening, at times in the sweltering heat and dirt. The verbal scolding is directed to extract maximum work in a day - slow pace is not accepted to achieve target production. The work at the brick kiln is largely paid on the basis of output - it is piece-rate basis. However after I have joined school, my life has undergone a transformation with exposure to the new environment at the school. I owe this to the HKMP Union. I have new confidence that I can do something with my life. I want to join police service. With other children at this residential school, I get to play and study. It is lot of fun and I enjoy it. I do not want to go back to the brick kilns.

What is your dream?
I want to become a Police Officer.

What would you like to say to the readers of BWI website concerning the problem of child labour?
I want that the BWI continues to work towards the bright future of children at Child Labour Schools and I hope that our future holds promise for all children like me. I hope that every child labour like me should get an equal chance of education and treatment from the society and Government. 

Reference Article on ChildLabour

Can we eliminate child labour? Though it is a desirable goal the fact remains that in the given socio-economic scenario that is prevalent in our country, it is virtually impossible to do away with child labour. One cannot dispute the fact that employers exploit children by paying them much less than what they would pay in adult and the future of the working children is ruined as they will not be able to attend schools and get educated for a better future.

But when one considers the economic compulsions of the families which force the children to work, one will be compelled to admit that elimination of child labour will be a distant dream as long as the socio-economic status of these families is not improved.

Realizing the harm caused by child labour, the Indian Government made laws to protect children from exploitation at work and to improve their working condition. Besides, a comprehensive law called Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act. 1986, was promulgated to prohibit employment of children in certain hazardous occupations and processes.

In 1987, the Indian government formulated National Police on Child Labour to protect the interests of children and focus on general development programmes for the benefit of children. As a part of this policy National Child Labour Projects have been set up in different parts of the country to rehabilitate child labour. Under these projects, special schools are established to prove non-formal education, vocational training, supplementary nutrition etc. to children who are withdrawn from employment.

Though elimination of child labour is an impossible task in the current socio-economic scenario, the Indian government is committed to the task of ensuring that no child remains illiterate, hungry and without medical care. When this ideal will be achieved is a million dollar question.

The development countries are exerting pressure on developing countries like India to eliminate child labour. According to the current thinking the developed countries may stop imports of those goods that involve child labour in their production. In some of our cottage industries like making of carpets, children are employed in larger numbers. These carpets, which are being exported, may soon lose their market abroad if the producers of these carpets persist with child labour.

Child labour is, no doubt, an evil that should be done away with at the earliest. The prevalence of child labour reflects very badly on society that is not able to stop this evil. But in a society where many households may have to suffer the pangs of hunger if the children are withdrawn from work, beggars can’t be choosers. These families have to send their children to work, even if the future of these innocents is ruined, as that is the only choice open for them to survive in this world. Therefore, unless the socio-economic status of the poor families is improved, India has to live with child labour.

Feature

Need to end Child labour

Imposing work on children and depriving them of their basic needs are the features of child labour. This is a serious crime.

Child labour is not an isolated phenomenon. It is a consequence of several factors ranging from poverty and lack of employment opportunities to uneven distribution of wealth and resources.

It is quiet devastating to know that Pakistan is amongst the top 10 countries with a high rate of child labour. With about 30 per cent of Pakistan’s population being below the poverty line, poverty serves out to be the basic reason of child labour in the country.

This occurs when parents have no other option but to send their children out to earn for them.

Thus children are made to work for great hours. in various situations such as in factories and kilns, besides in households as domestic hands.

Child labour is a social evil. It would require cumulative efforts to wipe it out. First, the non-governmental organisations have got an important role to play in the elimination of child labour. The government might not have the infrastructure to reach every section of society, particularly the ones who live and work in remote areas.
NGOs can act as a bridge between these places and the government.

Our media has also got to play a significant role in the elimination of child labour. Firms or houses where children are employed as workers or servants must be exposed.
This would give birth to a feeling of consciousness in those who take services of these children, neglecting their rights.

If taken, these initial steps could bring about a change and eradicate the factor of child labour in the country because small hands can handle a pen better. Lend your support in abolishing child labor.

Article

Stop  Child Labour

Children are the flower's of Heaven They are the most beautiful and purest creation of God.When the children put on different kinds of clothes and begin to go to school for sake of knowledge we feel a kind of joy.But there are also other children those who cannot go to school due to financial problems.

Child labour was employed to varying extents through most of history, but entered public dispute with the advent of universal schooling, with changes in working conditions during the industrial revolution, and with the emergence of the concepts of workers and children's right.

In many developed countries, it is considered inappropriate if a child below a certain age works (excluding household chores, in a family shop, or school-related work). An employer is usually not permitted to hire a child below a certain minimum age. This minimum age depends on the country and the type of work involved

Child labour is still common in some parts of the world, it can be factory work, mining, agriculture, helping in the parents' business, having one's own small business (for example selling food), or doing odd jobs. Some children work as guides for tourists, sometimes combined with bringing in business for shops and restaurants (where they may also work as waiters). Other children are forced to do repetitive jobs such as polishing shoes, stocking a store's products, or cleaning. However, rather than in factories and sweet meat shop, most child labour occurs in the informal sector, selling many things on the streets, at work in agriculture or hidden away in houses

This is one of the most offensive and inhumane act performed by the general community. They know very well that this practice is not legal, but still, people keep on forcing small children to work. This practice must be defended by the legal authorities. The police and other concerned departments must take severe actions against such offenders. This will not only make the people know that this is illegal but also will improve the moral values of our society.

Child Labour is a complex problem which demands a range of solutions. There is no better way to prevent child Labour than to make education compulsory. The West understood this a long time ago. Laws were enacted very early to secure continued education for working children; and now they have gone a step forward, and required completion of at least the preliminary education of the child before he or she starts work.

Child labour Interview

Interview with a NGO

Q: When does children’s work become child labour?

            Children's work is a broad term that includes both worst forms of child labour at one extreme and beneficial work contributing to the child's development at the other. All work performed by children under the age of 18 is not necessarily child labour. Child labour is the unacceptable form of child work. It is work that exposes children to harm or exploitation

Q: Where is it a problem?

Child labour is often perceived as a problem faced only by developing countries. While the vast majority of children engaged in child labour are indeed working in developing countries, it exists in industrialised and transition countries as well.

Q: Why does it exist? What are the causes of child labour?

Child labour is both a cause and consequence of poverty. Household poverty pushes children into the labour market to earn money to supplement family income or even as a means of survival. The existence of child labour perpetuates household poverty across generations, slowing economic growth and social development. It prevents children from gaining an education and skills that will lead to an adulthood of decent work opportunities.

Q: Do You Think There is any Solution to stop the child labour

            There are many solutions at many levels. If you look international level there are many standards that effect children the most important are Conventions on the right of the children etc they are different and they server someone different purpose

Q: What is the your NGO doing to combat child labour?

 We  are doing to stop the child labour.Many other partners also have an important contribution to make in the fight against child labour:children and their families; international and national non-governmental organizations ,community-based organizations, the media, universities and religious groups. NGOs are particularly active in the field, both on the local level.