Child Labor in India: Duties, Reasons, Impact, Conditions and Government Policy
Number of pages:
9
ABSTRACT:
This is a 9 page paper discussing child labor in India. Child labor within India is said to include between 11 and 60 million children in underpaid, exploitive and hazardous conditions. While the majority of child laborers (78.67%) are involved in agricultural labor positions, most human rights organizations focus more so on the urban-based child laborers within the manufacturing sector as those children are more likely to be bonded. Mainly because of international pressure, the India government has imposed several child labor acts in which they tend to create the “world’s largest child labor elimination program”. However, since the Child Labor (Prohibition & Regulation) Act was legislated in 1986, little has been done to improve the child labor situation. In fact, because of the continued poverty rate at over 35% and the need for India to compete on international trade markets, the child labor industry has continued to flourish. Industries charged under child labor legislation pay minimal fines and many industries “hide” their laborers within small cottage communities which are not covered under the legislation. Within the last decade, various international organizations have reported on the appalling conditions of child labor within India but also report that the Indian government only reports 1981 census figures to keep the true numbers unknown which is why the estimates vary. Regardless of the reports however, the child labor and bonded industries continue within India in all industry sectors and will no doubt continue to remain despite international pressures because of ongoing poverty levels, tradition of the caste system and the country’s desire to remain competitive within the international market.
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