More than 200 million children worldwide are still working as child laborers and at least 115 million are staggering, subject to its worst forms. According to the National Census 2011, there are about 10.1 million child laborers between the ages of 5 and 14 in India.
10.13 million child laborers between the ages of 5-14 in India (2011 Census figures)
Child labor has decreased by about 20% in 2011 from 2001 census data
There are 22.87 million working children between 15-18 years in India.
According to the 2011 census, 1 in 11 children are working in India (5-18 years).
80% of child labor in India is concentrated in rural areas
The ILO 2016 figures show that there are 152 million working children between 5–17 years of age in the world, of which 23.8 million are in India. So 16% of working children (or every 6th working child) in this age group are in India
About 1.4 million child laborers in India in the age group of 7–14 years cannot write their names, analysis of census data by Swaraj Seva Foundation. This means that one in three child laborers in the said age group is illiterate. This is a serious reality of children who work more than six months in a year. Even for children who support the family economy by working less than six months in a year, which is very common in a country like India, the situation is equally, if not more, Even worse. A staggering 2 million of these marginal workers have also compromised their education.
There is a high potential for school beginners and those not learning in school to live outside the world of formal education. When these children grow up, there is a danger of not having a secure job and thus they are caught in the inter-cycle cycle of poverty and deprivation. As a nation we are investing in the education of our children, it is essential to pay attention to this. It has been a decade since the notification of the Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 and it is important that its implementation be strengthened. The scope of the RTE Act, 2009 should be extended from the pre-school to the secondary level (for children between 3 years - 18 years) to address this problem.
The situation is also reflected in the state figures. While 45% of child laborers in Bihar are illiterate, the figure is 40% in Rajasthan and Jharkhand. About 38% of child laborers in Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh are also illiterate.
Along with the education indicators for these children, they are the reason we have to face this challenge. The current legal framework of India is based on the assumption that children can work and study together. Previously stated numbers contradict this notion and there is ample evidence that this needs to be changed, mainly for marginal child laborers. In 2016, the Child Labor (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 was amended by which the law prohibits child labor (ie under 14 years) and the age of entry into employment with the age of completion of elementary education (14 years)) Guaranteed by the Right to Education Act (RTE), 2009. However, this makes some exceptions for children in this age group and allows them in family and family enterprises, and as child actors, after school hours or during holidays. .
The 2011 census data for children in labor shows that 6.5 million children aged 5 to 14 in India work in agriculture and domestic industries. This shocked 64.1% of child workers in this age group. CRY's on-the-ground experience suggests that a large number of children engaged in these occupations are working with their families. Allowing children to work in family ventures is likely to reach not only the effects that affect their education and learning outcomes but also their health and overall development. Therefore, there is an urgent need to reintroduce the law in the interest of all children.
Child labor in India has, somehow, become a social norm that we accept and bear in our society. This exploitative and degrading practice will continue until the society adopts a zero tolerance attitude towards it. The exploitation and abuse of children continues because the state and the people do not address children's issues comprehensively and effectively.
However, only uing rescued 'children, often won't help. There is a need to address the reasons that force children to work. Children work primarily to help their families because adults do not have proper employment and sufficient income. Children also work because there is a demand for cheap labor in the market. When children have limited ability to receive adequate nutrition and attend school for long hours of work, they are prevented from receiving education. Seva Sansthan's efforts to prevent child labor include:
Identifying root causes that force families and communities to allow children to engage in labor
Addressing these underlying issues by interacting with parents, community leaders, and children's collectives where the importance of child rights and the harmful effects of child labor are discussed.
Empowering communities with knowledge to demand proper implementation of employment schemes, food security and access to all government provisions
In cases of child trafficking and forcing children into labor, the Swarajya Seva Foundation worked on the rescue, repatriation and rehabilitation of children through the Child Protection Network under the Juvenile Justice Care and Protection Act and the Integrated Child Protection Scheme.
Swarashtra Seva Foundation and its partners work to build and strengthen the Collect Children Collectors'. These forums create a platform for school going children who play an important role in influencing children who are out of school to enroll / re-enroll. They play an important role in expressing their opinions to parents, panchayats, government bodies and decision makers on issues related to the need for child labor and education.
Donate now and strengthen our efforts to get children to school instead of work. Help us unravel the skills that rob them of their childhood.
