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What is Child Labour?How Can It Be Prevented?

Child Labour is a global issue that robs children of their childhood, their potential, and their dignity. It is defined as work that deprives children of their right to education, is harmful to their physical and mental development, and keeps them from enjoying their youth. But how can we prevent this violation of children’s rights?

What Is Child Labour?How Can It Be Prevented?, Child labor is a type of exploitation where a child is employed in such work that he or she is deprived of education, health, and normal childhood. It could be prevented if strict laws are in place, if awareness is raised, and if access to quality education for all children is promoted.

TopicDetails
What is Child Labour?Work that deprives children of education, health, and development, mainly because of poverty and low standards of living.
CausesPoverty, Lack of education, social norms, and economic necessity in families.
Child laborPrevention StrategiesAccess to education, awareness campaigns, tightening the law, financial support and corporate responsibility for eradication of child labor.
Countries AffectedMainly common in certain states of India such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
child labor 4Recent InitiativesWorld Day Against Child Labour, 2023; NGO campaigns for the abolition of child labor.

Understanding Child Labour

Child labour typically refers to work that is mentally, physically, socially, or morally dangerous and harmful to children. By depriving them of the opportunity to attend school, obliging them to leave school prematurely, or requiring them to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work, it interferes with their schooling.

Child Labour is the engagement of child to work in low quality jobs which involve work for surviving their daily living. Child labour is caused from poverty and very low standard of living. The low level jobs in which children are engaged in deprive them from early schooling education, parental love and care, healthy living and mindful thinking life.

Children belonging to lower classes or orphans often engage in such activities. The sad fact is that parents are unable to feed their children and cannot afford their education, care ,daily meals, daily needs, clothing and homes which results in grown children to do low quality jobs in their early ages to survive totally on their own.

Because of this they are made to work in such penniless jobs that they have to leave their schooling education. Their daily routine interferes their schooling and study times which makes them leave their premature education. Many a times these are those ones who fall sick during epidemics.

A child should not be engaged in such slavery. Every parent must make sure that his/her children learn, educate themselves to their adulthood and become mature individuals. Even girls earlier, who got engaged in household activities in their secondary schooling days were deprived from higher education got engaged to child marriages.

Every child should be provided with education to his higher standards, so that he is mature enough in this world to make decisions and grow in his life earning his living later on. Every parent should be made aware of his/her duties towards his/ her children.

The fact is that the schooling education fees and prices of books every year and other stationaries are increasing every year. This has created a havoc and affording such higher education is becoming difficult for people.

In India Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are the states with highest child labour. Many NGOs and organizations are working in this direction to improve the standards of living of poor people with kids.

Uttar Pradesh and Bihar child labour

Children should be provided with the best love, care, sanity and most important education as they are the future of any country. It is the duty of every teacher and the principal to take care of every single child and must give the right kind of advice to their parents. Children are Almighty’s gift. They should not be engaged in in such physical, mental and moral pressure in their childhood. Things need to improve as far as every child in this world and his educational and basic needs are concerned.

The Root Causes

To effectively combat child labour, we must understand its underlying causes. Significant factors include poverty, lack of quality education, and social norms that condone child labor. Due to economic hardship, many families rely on the income generated by their children.

Prevention Strategies

  1. Education: Ensuring access to quality education is one of the most effective ways to prevent child labour. Education equips children with the knowledge and skills they need to secure better-paying jobs in the future, breaking the cycle of poverty.
  2. Awareness Campaigns: Spreading awareness about the negative impacts of child labour and the importance of education can change societal attitudes. NGOs and governments can run campaigns to educate parents and communities about children’s rights.
  3. Strengthening Laws: Implementing more stringent laws and ensuring their enforcement can deter individuals and businesses from employing child labour. Legal frameworks should be robust, and violators must be held accountable.
  4. Economic Support: Providing financial support to families in need can reduce the economic pressure that leads to child labour. Social security programs, subsidies, and grants can help families afford to keep their children in school.
  5. Corporate Responsibility: Businesses should be encouraged to adopt fair labour practices. Eliminating child labour from supply chains is crucial, and companies should be held responsible for ensuring their products are child-labour-free.

Child labour is a complex issue, but with concerted efforts from governments, NGOs, communities, and the private sector, it can be prevented. By addressing the root causes and implementing comprehensive strategies, we can protect children’s rights and provide them with the bright future they deserve.

NGO's related to child labour

In 2023-24, there have been several campaigns and initiatives aimed at eradicating child labor in India and the World. Here are some of the notable efforts:

  1. World Day Against Child Labour 2023: The theme for this year was “Social Justice for All. End Child Labour!” which highlighted the connection between social justice and the issue of child labor.
  2. Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL): CACL conducted a survey that indicated a significant increase in child labor in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, prompting campaigns to address root causes such as poverty and illiteracy.
  3. Education International: Working with educators and allies, this organization has been active in eliminating child labor, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which likely pushed more children into labor.
  4. World Day Against Child Labour: The International Labour Organization (ILO) observed June 12th as the World Day Against Child Labour with the theme “Social Justice for All – End Child Labour!” This day serves as a catalyst for the global movement against child labour.

How Many Bones in a Child?

These campaigns focus on raising awareness, improving education access, and strengthening laws to prevent child labor. They also work towards providing economic support to families to reduce the need for child labour.

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