Child labour in India 1

Child labour in India

Of 12.6 million children in hazardous occupations, India has the highest number of labourers in the world under 14
years of age.[1] Although the Constitution of India guarantees free and compulsory education to children between the
age of 6 to 14 and prohibits employment of children younger than 14 in any hazardous environment, child labour is
present in almost all sectors of the Indian economy[2] Companies including Gap[3] , Primark[4] , Monsanto[5] etc have
been criticised for using child labour in either their operations in India or by their suppliers in India.

Sectors involved in child labour

Beedi manufacture
A survey conducted between 1994 and 1995 revealed that child workers comprise of more than 30% of total hired
workers in the beedi manufacture sector.[6] . The United States Customs Service subsequently banned the import of
Beedis made in Ganesh Beedi Works of Mangalore [7]

Diamond industry
In 1997, the International Labour Organization published a report titled Child Labour in the Diamond Industry.[8]
claiming that child labour is highly prevalent in the Indian diamond industry, as child labourers constitute nearly 3%
of the total workforce and the percentage of child labourers is as high as 25% in the diamond industry of Surat. The
ICFTU further claimed that child labour was prospering in the diamond industry in Western India, where the
majority of the world's diamonds are cut and polished while workers are often paid only a fraction of 1% of the value
of the stones they cut.[9] Pravin Nanavati, a Surat-based diamond businessman argued that, since high cost diamonds
could easily be lost or broken while cutting or polishing, employing a child labourer would mean risking "lakhs of
rupees" and “Around 8-10 years back, some western countries deliberately created the impression that child labour is
prevalent in the Indian diamond industry" and called a boycott for monopolising in the sector. The South Gujarat
Diamond Workers Association secretary Mohan Dhabuwala, argued that while child labour is highly prevalent in the
construction and hotel industries, there are few child labourers in the diamond industry of Surat, less than 1%
according to their surveys, mainly because of stern punishments and penalties for violation of child labour laws. [10]
In 1998, Madhura Swaminathan from the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research argued that economic
growth in Western India was associated with an increase in the number of child workers over the last 15 years and
that children work at simple repetitive manual tasks that do not require long years of training or experience in
low-paying hazardous works that involves drudgery and forecloses the option of school education for most children.
[11]

In 2005, an India-based management consultancy firm named A. F. Ferguson & Co., commissioned a study titled
Child Labour from Gem and Jewellery Industry "to spread awareness about child labor among the people connected
with the industry" that is conducted at 663 manufacturing units at 21 different locations at Gujarat, Maharashtra,
Rajasthan, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, as a GJEPC initiative. On February 12, the study is presented in a seminar
held by the Gem & Jewelry Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) and the Surat Diamond Association, in Surat, India.
The report argued that the use of child labour in India’s diamond processing industry has been reduced from 0.55%
in 1998 to 0.31% in 2005 which is estimated to be less than 1%, "while for the synthetic stone industry it is estimated
to be two-thirds less". Gem& Jewellery Export Promotion Council chairman Bakul Mehta, claimed that, "Some 500
diamond factory owners took an oath in the city of Palanpur, Gujarat, (home town of leading Gujarati diamond
merchants) not to employ children in their factories. Similarly, in Surat, 200 factory owners took the oath," and at
GJEPC they, "Remain committed to eradicating child labor from the Indian diamond industry” arguing "...the gem
and jewelry industry cannot even think of employing children, not only for moral reasons, but that a child could be
injured while polishing or cutting the diamonds." [12] [13] [14]
Child labour in India 2

Fireworks manufacture
Fireworks manufacturers had long been criticised for their use of child labour. Although the manufacturers declare
that child labour is no longer used, estimates suggest that at least 3,000 children still work at every stage of the
manufacturing process. Child labourers at Sivakashi earn wages as low as Rs 20 per day. There had been protests by
the manufacturers against the anti child labour campaign by various N.G.O.s , terming them as false allegations and
conspiracies.Thousands of children die each year in the fireworks business.

Silk manufacture
Human Rights Watch estimates that at least 350,000 bonded children are employed by the silk industry in India.[15]
As per Human Rights Watch, children as young as five years old are employed and work for up to 12 hours a day
and six to seven days a week.[16] Children are forced to dip their hands in scalding water to palpate the cocoons and
are often paid less than Rs 10 per day.[17]

Domestic labour
Official estimates for child labor working as domestic labor and in restaurants is more than 2,500,000 while NGOs
estimate the figure to be around 20 million.[18] The Government of India expanded the coverage of The Child Labour
Prohibition and Regulation Act and banned the employment of children as domestic workers and as workers in
restaurants, dhabas, hotels, spas and resorts effective from October 10, 2006.[19]

Construction
The use of child labor can be found in the construction industry too. Children are found in construction of both home
and office buildings. In 1982, for the construction of the Asian Games Village, the contractors had employed child
labor, for they had to be paid less, making it a giant issue.

Brick kilns
Each year, thousands of children are rescued from brick kilns, working in awful conditions. Some of the children are
actually sold to the brick kiln owners, and are not paid.

Initiatives against child labour

In 1979, the Indian government formed the Gurupadswamy Committee to find about child labour and means to
tackle it. The Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act was enacted based on the recommendations of the
committee in 1986. A National Policy on Child Labour was formulated in 1987 to focus on rehabilitating children
working in hazardous occupations.[20] The ministry of Labour and Employment had implemented around 100
industry-specific National Child Labour Projects to rehabilitate the child workers since 1988.[21]

Legislation
The Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act (1986) bans employment of children in occupations related to
• Transport of passengers
• Manufacture and selling of crackers and fireworks
• Abattoirs
• Carpet weaving
• Manufacture of Beedi,cement, matches, explosives, soap, slate pencils, agate products, agarbatti etc
• Building and construction industry
• Hazardous processes under the factory act
• Brick kilns etc
Child labour in India 3

The violation of the act can result in punishments ranging from imprisonment for one month to two years.[22]

Non Governmental Organizations

Many NGOs like CARE India, Child Relief and You, Global march against child labor etc have been working to
eradicate child labour in India.[23] In 2005, Pratham, an Indian NGO was involved in one of the biggest rescue
operations when around 500 child laborers were rescued from zari sweatshops in North East Delhi [24]

References
[1] "India- The big picture" (http:/ / www. unicef. org/ infobycountry/ india_background. html). UNICEF. . Retrieved 2009-10-19.
[2] Burra, Neera. "Child labour in rural areas with a special focus on migration, agriculture, mining and brick kilns" (http:/ / www. ncpcr. gov. in/
Reports/ Child_Labour_in_Rural_areas_with_special_focus_on_Migration_Agriculture_ Mining_by_Neera_Burra. pdf). NCPCR. . Retrieved
2009-10-19.
[3] "Gap Under Fire: Reports Allege Child Labor" (http:/ / www. abcnews. go. com/ GMA/ story?id=3786371& page=1). ABC News. .
Retrieved 2009-10-22.
[4] Hawkes, Steve (June 17, 2008). "Primark drops firms using child labour" (http:/ / business. timesonline. co. uk/ tol/ business/
industry_sectors/ retailing/ article4152660. ece). London: The Times. . Retrieved 2009-10-22.
[5] "Child Labor" (http:/ / www. forbes. com/ global/ 2008/ 0310/ 062. html). Forbes. 2008-10-03. . Retrieved 2009-10-22.
[6] Bhattacharyya, Shampa (January 06, 2000). "Child labour in beedi industry - The economic dimensions" (http:/ / www. thehindubusinessline.
com/ 2000/ 01/ 06/ stories/ 040644sb. htm). Business Line. . Retrieved 2009-10-20.
[7] "US bans Karnataka firm's bidis" (http:/ / www. rediff. com/ news/ 1999/ nov/ 25bidi. htm). Rediff. November 25, 1999. . Retrieved
2009-10-20.
[8] "Child Labour in the Diamond Industry" (http:/ / www. ilo. org/ public/ english/ dialogue/ actrav/ child/ proj/ childiam. htm). International
Labour Organization. 1997. .
[9] "Child Labour Crisis in Diamond Industry" (http:/ / news. bbc. co. uk/ 2/ hi/ programmes/ letter_from_america/ 15377. stm). BBC News.
October 26, 1997. . Retrieved 2009-09-08.
[10] Summit Khanna (2004-12-13). "Diamond industry plays down child labour charges" (http:/ / www. business-standard. com/ india/
storypage. php?autono=195628). Ahmedabad: Business-standard.com. . Retrieved 2009-11-09.
[11] Swaminathan, M (1998). "Economic growth and the persistence of child labor: Evidence from an Indian city". World Development 26: 1513.
doi:10.1016/S0305-750X(98)00063-1.
[12] Tanna, Ketan (February 14, 2005). "Child Labor Practice Drops in India" (http:/ / www. diamonds. net/ news/ NewsItem.
aspx?ArticleID=11399). Rapaport News. . Retrieved 2009-09-08.
[13] "Use of child labour in gem industry lower" (http:/ / cities. expressindia. com/ fullstory. php?newsid=117676). Indian express. February 14,
2005. . Retrieved 2009-10-20.
[14] Khanna, Summit (February 23, 2005). "AF Ferguson report slams Surat diamond industry" (http:/ / www. business-standard. com/ india/
news/ af-ferguson-report-slams-surat-diamond-industry/ 206061/ ). Business Standard. . Retrieved 2009-10-20.
[15] Reeves, Phil (24 January 2003). "Scandal of silk industry where child 'slaves' work seven days a week" (http:/ / www. independent. co. uk/
news/ world/ asia/ scandal-of-silk-industry-where-child-slaves-work-seven-days-a-week-602726. html). London: The Independent. . Retrieved
2009-10-20.
[16] "Indian silk industry employs child labour: Human Rights Watch" (http:/ / inhome. rediff. com/ news/ 2003/ jan/ 23silk. htm). Rediff.
January 23, 2003. . Retrieved 2009-10-20.
[17] "Child Labour: Blood on silk" (http:/ / www. hindu. com/ fline/ fl1801/ 18010660. htm). Frontline. . Retrieved 2009-10-20.
[18] "Enforcing the ban" (http:/ / www. hindu. com/ 2006/ 10/ 20/ stories/ 2006102002811000. htm). The Hindu. Oct 20, 2006. . Retrieved
2009-10-20.
[19] "A ban that was overdue" (http:/ / www. hindu. com/ 2006/ 08/ 07/ stories/ 2006080703781000. htm). The Hindu. Aug 07, 2006. . Retrieved
2009-10-20.
[20] "nitiatives towards Elimination of Child Labour – Action Plan and Present Strategy" (http:/ / labour. nic. in/ cwl/ ChildLabour. htm).
Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India. . Retrieved 2009-10-21.
[21] "National Legislation and Policies Against Child Labour in India" (http:/ / www. ilo. org/ public/ english/ region/ asro/ newdelhi/ ipec/
responses/ india/ national. htm). International Labour Organization. . Retrieved 2009-10-21.
[22] "The Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act (1986)" (http:/ / nrcw. nic. in/ shared/ sublinkimages/ 28. htm). National Resource Centre
for Woman. . Retrieved 2009-10-20.
[23] "Other Initiatives Against Child Labour in India" (http:/ / www. ilo. org/ public/ english/ region/ asro/ newdelhi/ ipec/ responses/ india/
other. htm). International Labour Organization. .
[24] "485 child laborers rescued" (http:/ / www. hindu. com/ 2005/ 11/ 22/ stories/ 2005112206960103. htm). The Hindu. Nov 22, 2005. .
Article Sources and Contributors 4

Article Sources and Contributors

Child labour in India  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=391797243  Contributors: Allen3, Anna Lincoln, Art LaPella, Canley, Chris the speller, Discospinster, EoGuy,
Excirial, Greencircle, Joseph Solis in Australia, Kasaalan, Paryayorg, RadioFan, Rjwilmsi, Shyamsunder, Trakesht, Woohookitty, 29 anonymous edits

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