Child Labor in India
Working conditions, level of education, and other info
Overview
- According to a 2001 census, India has the largest number of child laborers under 14.
- 12.6 million children participated in dangerous occupations.
- In 2006, the Indian government passed a law banning children under the age of 14 from participating in domestic work or other kinds of labor, however many factories ignore this law and continue to employ kids under 14.
- The National Child Labor Projects (NCLP) is the largest program dedicated to stopping child labor in India.
Working Conditions
- Child laborers are forced to work 14 or more hours a day.
"For mere pennies per hour, children weave carpets, sort vegetables, or assemble expensive athletic shoes" ("World History Letters of Interaction, page 728, Mcdougal Littell")
- The NCPCR (The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights) reported that child laborers in India "were working in Bt cotton seed companies and carrying huge quantities of pesticides on their backs." (Bindu Shajan Perappadan,
stopchildlabor.org)
- Many children will work in dangerous industries where they are vulnerable to burns and cuts or exposed to harmful fumes.
Education
- Many child laborers either have no opportunity to be educated or are forced to drop out of school due to the requirements of their jobs.
- NCLP has a program that builds schools specifically designed for kids who were child laborers. These schools have curriculum made to help the kids gain the necessary skills to be put in the formal education system, including vocational training and health services.
- When education available is not good, unavailable, or exclusive, children will go to work instead.
- Almost half of children in school will drop out before they reach the 8th grade.
Historical Connections
- Child labor in India has many similarities to child labor in other parts of the world. The children working in the factories are being paid very little and forced to operate dangerous machinery.
- Similar to child labor during the industrial revolution because children were working many hours a day under dangerous and unpleasant conditions.
- Both Great Britain during the Industrial Revolution and India have some labor laws concerning age and type of work they are not usually followed.
- Children during the Industrial Revolution and in India are subject to abuse.
- Both children in Great Britain during the Industrial Revolution and children in India have limited education.
Opinion
- While laws against child labor are already present in India, the government needs to do a better job of enforcing them. Many factories find ways to make it appear as though they are not employing under-aged children and are also treating the children who are of age fairly
- Education needs to be improved and made more available to more children, this would help to keep them from ending up in factories or working elsewhere.
- The government has laws protecting children under 14 but no laws for kids 14-18, laws for older children should be put in place to make it so they are encouraged to stay in school for longer.
Bibliography
Works Cited
About Geography. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. <http://geography.about.com/library/cia/blcindia.htm>.
Global March. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. <http://globalmarch.org>.
Human Rights Watch. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. <http://hrw.org/news/2006/10/04/india-child-labor-law-welcomed-needs-enforcing>.
Stop Child Labor. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. <http://stopchildlabor.org/?p=2820>.
Unicef. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. <http://www.unicef.org/india/child_protection_1726.htm>.
World History. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
The Pictures Blog of Mr. Malao. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012.
<http://pictzz.blogspot.com/2009/09/child-labor-in-india.html>.