In the face of the problem caused by various interpretations of the terms ‘child’ and ‘labour’, this Campaign has adopted [see Encyclopaedia of Social Sciences] the following working definition:

The child is any person below the age of 14 years.
Child labour is that form of work a child is engaged in which is detrimental to the growth and development of the child. Family labour which interferes with a child’s education, recreation, or physical, mental, or moral health would also be considered child labour.

Some other definitions:
When the business of wage earning or for participation in self or family support conflicts directly or indirectly with the business of growth and education, the result is child labour.

The function of work in childhood in primarily developmental and not economic. Children’s work, then, as a social good, is the direct antithesis of child labour as a social evil.

The Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL) was recently launched in Delhi at a well-attended function at Indian Social Institute. A number of speakers highlighted the magnitude and depth of the problem of child labour in India. Several dozen working children were also present at the meeting, and provided direct insight into the kinds of lives they are forced to lead.

Many of the speakers gave graphic descriptions of various practices relating to child labour and clearly underlined the need for urgent and drastic action in this sphere. Shri J. Gathia described various facets of child labour in the areas neighbouring Delhi. Not only are they exploited in a large number of industrial occupations, they are engaged – as in most metropolitan areas – in services ranging from domestic labour to begging and child prostitution. Ms. Alpa Vohra provided an overview of child labour throughout the country and Dr. Vasudha Dhagamwar covered these issues within Scheduled Caste societies. Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak of Sulabh International, Jaya Jaitley and others provided valuable insights into both the issues and the possible solutions.

One thing about the problem that became clear was that the whole issue is beset with uncertainty and ignorance. For example, estimates of the number of children working in India range from 10 million to 100 million. There seems to be no statistical information on how many children are involved in income generating activities that are compatible with normal school and play requirements.

On the solution side, the most obvious conclusion from the discussion was that each one of us in India has a direct role and responsibility in solving this problem. What we eat or wear, and what we buy often determines the place children will have in the workplace as much as who we employ. Ultimately, of course the only real solution lies in sustainable development, a task our nation has still to address.

Some of the children invited to the meeting spoke about their work, their lives and their dreams. Our representative, Karan who is 11 years old, was also there and made the following statement:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

My name is Karan Khosla. I am fortunate enough not to be a child labourer. I have taken leave from my school to attend this meeting because, as a child, the topic of child labour concerns me deeply. I also belong to the children’s unit of Development Alternatives.

Many children in our country are made to work 18 hours a day and 7 days a week. They don’t have a childhood like some of us have had. They don’t get any education or have fun at all because they are working all day. And most important of all they don’t even get the money they earn. Their masters or their parents take it all.

I am here today as a child. We children never get heard. People think we are inferior to them and they must have there way. Well, it shouldn’t be that way. Some people amputate children’s legs or arms or even fingers and make them go and beg in the streets where they work all day and night and make very little money. And if they don’t make a certain amount of money by the end of the day, they are made to work extra hard the next day. It just isn’t fair.

Other children have to work in horrible conditions making glass, bangles, carpets and things which rich people buy, but for which the children get paid very little money. Children are exploited by their masters, and ruin their health working in these dangerous factories.

There is no point just talking about child labour. It is time we took drastic action. I think simple solutions like banning their products will not help, because the children will only be made to work harder, so they can make more products.

As long as children have to work, we must make sure that their earnings get to them safely and we can do this by toughening our laws and our police forces.

But, the important thing to realize is that poor children are being treated badly even when they don’t have to work. Poor children are treated as subhumans.

Another thing which nobody pays attention to is the cruelty which is being done to girls. Especially in the villages girls have been treated as a speck of dirt, they think it is a sin to have a girl in the family. A girl is not even given some of the few opportunities that boys are given. THEY SHOULD NOT BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY FROM BOYS.

Deprived children, like all children, need time to learn, to play and to have fun. They need to be treated nicely whether they work or not. India needs to be made into a proper place where all the children can grow up to be healthy so they can give their best to the well being of our country. Heaven knows how many Einstein or Ramanujams there could be in our country.

As long as there are very rich and greedy people, there will be very poor and exploited children.

Grown ups should be responsible towards all the poor children of our generation. Our common future is in the hands of all of us and we cannot leave the responsibility only to the government.

Thank you for listening to me. q