Child Labor

Child labour means the work that is performed by a child at a very young age; the child performs the work by the circumstances, which is likely to harm the child’s health, safety, or morals. The work performed by the child in any type of environment with the expectation that the work performed is light or is it a very worse form of child labour. Child labour not only hampers a child’s health it also keeps them away from attending school. It is seen that many children work in “Commercial agriculture”, “Fishing”, “Manufacturing”, “Mining” and “Domestic services”. 

What is Child Labour?

Child labour is defined as the work that is deprived children of their childhood through which, the child’s performance, dignity, potential are harmed. It is observed as per “Sociology”, that the children are unaware of the things, which are very essential for them. The children are unable to go to school and their knowledge is lacking. Children are deprived of the opportunity of attending school by acquiring the combination of excessively long and heavy work. Hazardous child labour is the worst form of child labour, which affect the nature and circumstances, which are cared out, and it harms the child’s mental health safety and morale of the children. 

The ratio of child labour in India

It is seen by the study that almost 10.1 million children are working in India between the age of (5-14) is 259.6 million. Out of these 10.1 million are working either as the main worker or as marginal workers, it is observed that 42.7 million children are out of school in India. After doing research is observed that the rate of child labour is declared in India by 2.6 million between 2001 and 2011, this rate was more visible in the rural area where the children’s work has increased urban area indicating the growing demand of the work in minimal work. However, Child labour has a different impact on the urban and rural sectors. 

Causes of Child Labour

It is seeing that children are involved in child labour because the parents think that it is normal for a child to work for the child’s survival and that of their families. The causes of child labour are:

Poverty

It is seeing that poverty is creating the greatest force, which drives the children into work when the families cannot afford the children with their basic needs like food, water, education, health, as they have no choice they have to send their children to work. Poverty is considered as one of the most important causes of child labour as it is linked to many factors such as “Low literacy, “lack of work opportunity”, “Climatic Change”, “Conflict” and, “mass displacement”.

Lack of Quality Education

The availability and quality of the school are some of the most important factors because of which child labour is increasing in India.

Descending work with poor access

The children who are involved in child labour lack the basic education, which would enable them to acquire skills and to improve their prosperity to descend working life. Therefore, they cannot develop their life as well as others to live a socialized schedule.

Natural Disaster

Natural disasters and climatic conditions are increasing, because of which the rural families who are depending on the farming are getting worried because of the rainfall, soil erosion, extreme weather. When they see that their crops are destroyed, they have to send their children to work for their survival.

Conflict and mass migration

According to “ILO”, most of the children are unaware of the situation because of:

• Lack of Economic breakdown

• Social Services

• Education baize
• Disruption of child protection Services

These reasons for child labour in the country arise from the conflict, which is almost as high as the global average.

Importance for stopping this practice

Children who enter the workforce in early life have the potential to do any kind of work. They have the limited advantages of education opportunities that help them to receive a better paying job as an adult. Therefore, it is important to preserve this potential without wasting in violent practices. It observes from the psychological perspective that some children fall on the track of drugs, depression, and other mental health, which harm their entire life with negative effects. 

Actions for mitigating Child labour

It is becoming important to stop child labour because the economy is dependent on children as they are the future. Whatever the situation may be, proper education will make a child achieve the goal of life. The steps are taken to stop child labour are:

Spread awareness

It is observed that a lack of understanding with the parents creates a situation for the children to end up in child labour. Awareness in the community such as “Poster” should be made on “Child labour” regarding the issue that children are facing will work effectively, and the children will not suffer from child labour.

Laws should implement

Strict laws should be there regarding child labour as some people are making the children work in their restaurants, and they are proving money to them to do that work it should be stopped. These laws should be followed to stop child labour so that every child should have the education, which is required for future growth in India.

Sending the children to school

The children should send to school to get an education so that they gain knowledge and that help them to make their future better. 

Conclusion

Child labour should stop as it deprives childhood. It adversely affects their physical, mental, and development. It is the reflection of “poverty”, “a weak economy” and “Social institution”. Likewise, it was observed throughout the study that there should be more employment among poor people.