Would any of us have liked to be in the place of this child in our childhood days? I am sure students like us studying in schools and colleges are a very fortunate lot compared to so many children in our country who are into hard labor since childhood.
Children are the greatest gift to humanity and the same gift is being misused for personal gains as child labor. Their number is close to 36% of India’s population but a large majority of children in the age group of 5-14 years continue to remain in distress and turmoil. One in every five children below the age of 14 is a laborer. The flower (Child) withers before it blossoms.
“Child labor” is, generally speaking, work for children that harms them or exploits them in some way (physically, mentally, morally, or by blocking access to education).
It is a myth that child labor is only a problem in developing countries. But in fact, children routinely work in all industrialized countries, and hazardous forms of child labor can be found in many countries. It is also a myth that child labor will only disappear when poverty disappears. Yet another myth is that most child laborers work in sweatshops making goods for export, but in fact, only a very small proportion of all child workers are employed in export industries – probably less than 5 per cent. Most of the child laborers actually are to be found in the informal sector – selling on the street, at work in agriculture or engaged in domestic work– far from the reach of official labor inspectors and from media scrutiny.
Poverty is widely considered the top reason why children work at inappropriate jobs for their ages. But there are other reasons as well like family expectations and traditions, lack of good schools and day care, lack of other services, such as health care, public opinion that downplays the risk of early work for children etc.
In some cases, working and earning can be a positive experience in a child’s growing up. But it depends on the age of the child, the conditions in which the child works, and whether work prevents the child from going to school. It is not realistic to suggest banning all forms of child labor, because so many poor families depend on income their children earn. However there are steps that could be taken to protect children from exploitation and reduce the need for children to do paid work. Eliminate the most hazardous and exploitative forms of child labor; improve children’s working conditions and their right to appropriate healthcare and recreation; provide education services for working children; challenge discrimination like some girls are expected to work while their brothers attend schools.
We all have grown ahead of childhood stage. How does child labour bother us? This is the attitude towards this social ailment from the majority of us. But we, as sensitive and responsible citizens cannot remain mute to our youngsters being denied their gift of childhood and get exploited. Each one of us has some responsibility in addressing this issue in our own capacities. A beginning in addressing this issue can be, to create awareness on this issue and start a movement towards eradication of this social exploitation in our spheres of influence. Right awareness of the issue and a committed initiative from us will get the required support from the others and also the government agencies. So, let us make a beginning to contribute a small part of our energy and resources to get smiles on the many children who have been deprived of it.
So let us all join our hands and raise it against this evil and slowly kick it out of our world. Support us for this cause. Join The Walk with us....
