CHILD LABOUR....
That children are the most gentle, the most innocent and the most pure hearted beings is not a debatable issue at all. But, what is debatable is the ban of child labour w.e.f october 10, 2006. Some see no reason in debating about this issue because it restores their work-free childhood but, does it neccessarily mean a happy childhood. The debate begins...Many of the child labourers face abuse physically, psychologically and sexually on a regular basis. In an incident in Mumbai, a domestic child labourer was beaten to death by her employers just for trying on some lipstick. This ban would surely lessen (by a huge amount) the abuses these children go through. But it doesnot ensure them a happy childhood.
Most of the children who work are forced to do so by their circumstances. Circumstances such as an ailing or dead parent or a huge family or insufficiency of income of the parents etc.. Such children when stripped of their jobs and salaries will starve (in some cases entire family will). Some of them may even be driven into crimes. Childlabour gives them benefits such as food, clothing, shelter and a salary that (in some cases) an entire family lives on though it makes them more vulnerable to abuse.
The ban of child labour has larger issues to it. This ban must be strictly enforced and violators should be prosecuted. Most of the times (esp in India) laws (such as these) are not enforced strictly. Surprise inspections should be conducted in all the potential places. Another thing that should be done for this ban to be more effective is cutting off the supply(of child labourers). This can be done by providing free and compulsary education for all children under 14(a constitutional obligation), then children cannot be at other place except school. Now the question that arises is: Are there enough schools (state-run) for providing education to all children ? It is sad to believe (that it is true) that 42000 state-run schools donot have their own buildings . Not only this about one lakh schools have only one classroom. How will so ill-equipped schools provide education? With even the basic amenities like blackboard, furniture and toilets missing these schools are unfit to provide education. It would be utterly foolish to expect these freed child labourers to join private schools. Now the question that arises is what will these freed children do? They will resort to begging or crimes to feed their stomachs and their families.
One way to help these children is to allow them to work while safegaurding them against abuse. An association for child labourers should be formed and a set of rights and rules for behaviour towards them should be set and the government should take responsibilty to regularly conduct inspections and punish all the offenders. Thus, even these poor little chaps can work with dignity of labour. The other (for all the obvious reasons a better) way out is that the government should pump a lot of funds in order to improve the infrastructure of these schools. The constitutional obligation of compulsary and free education should be strictly enforced. The govt. should provide means of earning for these children after school hours. The children should be assigned suitable work for pay. This way the exploitation of children can be checked while providing them income. Both the solutions are practicable only if the govt. realises its responsibility towards these children. The laws(reg. child labour ) should be strictly enforced else this ban will be of no good.
We all have grown up listening to the saying "TODAYS CHILDREN ARE TOMORROWS CITIZENS" and it does not require great brains or logic to realise that children are the future. It is high time for the govt. to realise this and work for eradication of child labour and provision of free education to all the children, in other words for a better tomorrow.
posted by NikVad @ 5:23 AM
1 Comments:
Kudos on touching upon such a sensitive issue which predictably neglected by media at large. As you said at first it is JUST a news to many a people but for lakhs of children out there it means FREEDOM, FREEDOM TO CHOSE A BETTER LIFE.
But everything said and done, as with Indian physche things hardly change. How many times have you not seen young children working in motels, roadsides selling Indian flags or wiping cloths, exibhiting themselves painted full in silver and cladding as Gandhi just to get that day's food and bread. Don't you think modern man doesn't know that there is law which states : FREE AND COMPULSORY EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN BELOW 14 and that they being the India's future should abhor this practise.
Well there are really so many things to talk about this issue. I think i will take that up in my blog(if time should permit.)
Finally a small suggestion: Don't post in Italicised version. it is hard on the eyes to read. Try to highlight somepoints by making them BOLD or trying to post a picture which depicts the same.
Well now that you have gathered enough steam...this blog is surely here to stay...all the best..
Post a Comment
<< Home