ChildlabourandChildLabourAmendmentBill,

2016
Writtenby F o r u m I A S | July30,20160Comments | D A I LY E D I T O R I A L S F O R U P S C I A S E X A M
P R E PA R A T I O N

Somefacts

Childlaboristhepracticeofhavingchildrenengageineconomicactivity,onpartor
timebasis.
ChildreninIndiaareengagedinchildlabor,includinginagricultureandmanufacturing.
The2011NationalCensusdatawasreleasedduringthereportingperiod,anditshows
that4,353,247childrenages5to14workfor6ormoremonthsduringtheyear.
TheCensusdataalsoshowthat3,875,234childrenages5to14workfor3to6
monthsduringtheyear
Indiatopsthelistwhenitcomestothenumberofchildrenstilllivingandworkingin
bondedlabourandslaveconditions.
Childrenareforcedtoworkasbondedlaborersinbrickkilnstopayofffamilydebts
owedtomoneylendersandemployers.
ChildrenfromIndiasruralareasmigrateforemploymentinindustries,suchascarpet
making,spinningmills,andcottonseedproduction.
Theyareforcedtoworkinhazardousenvironmentsforlittleornopay
ChildrenaretraffickedwithinIndiaforcommercialsexualexploitationandforcedlabor
indomesticservice.

Causesofgrowingchildlabor

Povertyandlackofsocialsecurityarethemaincausesofchildlabour.
increasinggapbetweentherichandthepoor.

Education

Mostimportantfactorsdrivingchildrentoharmfullabouristhelackofavailabilityand
qualityofschooling.
Manycommunities,particularlyruralareasdonotpossessadequateschoolfacilities.
 Lackofqualityuniversaleducationhasalsocontributedtochildrendroppingoutof
schoolandenteringthelabourforce.
Parentswithlimitedresourceshavetochoosewhoseschoolcostsandfeestheycan
affordwhenaschoolisavailable.

Livelihood

Lackofearningmemberspushespoorfamiliestomaketheirchildrenworkinappalling
conditions
Incomefromachildsworkisfelttobecrucialforhis/herownsurvivalorofthe
householdhebelongsto.
Forsomefamilies,incomefromtheirchildrenslabourisbetween25and40%ofthe
householdincome.

Growthofinformaleconomies

Growthoflowpayinginformaleconomyratherthanhigherpayingformaleconomies
Rigidlabourlawsandnumerousregulationshavepreventedgrowthoforganised
sectorwhereworkprotectionsareeasiertomonitor,andworkmoreproductiveand
higherpaying.
Afterunorganisedagriculturesectorwhichemploys60%ofchildlabour,itisthe
unorganisedtrade,unorganisedassemblyandunorganisedretailworkthatisthe
largestemployerofchildlabour.

Weaklaws

ThelawsandregulationsinIndiaconcerningchildlaborarefarfromperfect.Lawsare
notupdatedaccordingtotheseriousnessofthesituation.
Thepersistenceofchildlabourisduetotheinefficiencyofthelaw,administrative
systemandbecauseitbenefitsemployerswhocanreducegeneralwagelevels.

Consequencesofchildlabour

Childrenwhowork,failtogetnecessaryeducation.
Theygrowweakphysically,intellectually,emotionallyandpsychologically.
 Longmonotonousworkreducestheirphysicalconditionsandmakesthechildrenmore
vulnerabletodisease.
Workinglimitstheirabilitytocontributetotheirownwellbeingaswellastocommunity
theylivein.
Youngchildrenareinvolvedindangerousandphysicallydamagingwork.
Itmakesitdifficultforadultstofindemploymentwhenemployingchildrenischeaper.
Childlabourexcludesadultsfromtheworkforceandthiscreatespoverty.
Becauseitmeanschildrenareatworkinsteadofgoingtoschool.Childrenaredenied
theirrighttofulltimequalityeducationwhichisthekeytoescapingpoverty.Byworking
insteadoflearning,thecycleofpovertyisperpetuated.
Theconditionsinwhichchildrenworkiscompletelyunregulatedandtheyareoften
madetoworkwithoutfood,andverylowwages,resemblingsituationsofslavery.
Therearecasesofphysical,sexualandemotionalabuseofchilddomesticworkers.
Theargumentfordomesticworkisoftenthatfamilieshaveplacedtheirchildrenin
thesehomesforcareandemployment.

ChildLabour(ProhibitionandRegulation)Act,

TheChildLabor(ProhibitionandRegulation)Actof1986preventstheemploymentofchildren
belowtheageof14yearsinlifethreateningoccupationsidentifiedinalistbythelaw.

Theactdefinesachildasanypersonwhohasnotcompletedhisfourteenthyearofage.

ChildLabourAmendmentBill,2016

Newlegislationextendsabanonchildlabourunder14toallsectors.Previously,only
18hazardousoccupationsand65processessuchasmining,gemcuttingandcement
manufacturingwereoutlawed.
Childrenwillbeallowedtoworkinfamilybusinesses,outsideofschoolhoursand
duringholidays,andinentertainmentandsportsifitdoesnotaffecttheireducation.
Italsostiffenspenaltiesforthoseemployingchildren,doublingjailtermstotwoyears
andincreasingfinesto50,000rupees($740)from20,000rupees($300)
Theamendmentshavealsorelaxedthepenalprovisionsforparentsorguardiansas
theemployerofthechild.
 Foradolescentsbetween14and18years,whoselabourwasentirelylawfuluntilnow,
thelawprohibitstheiremploymentinworkscheduledashazardous.
Incaseofasecondorsubsequentoffenceofemploying,minimumimprisonment
wouldbeoneyearwhichmayextendtothreeyears.
Earlier,itwasminimumtermofsixmonthswhichmayextendtotwoyears.

Criticismsofbill

Banonhazardousadolescentworkisaccompaniedbychangesinthescheduleof
hazardousworkinthestatute,bringingthesedownfrom83prohibitedactivitiestoonly
three.
Amendedlawprohibitsonlythatchildworkwhichisconsideredhazardousforadult
workers,withoutrecognisingthespecificvulnerabilitiesofchildren.
Lawpermitsunder14yearstonowworkinnonhazardousfamilyenterprisesafter
schoolhoursandduringvacations.
Thefamilyisdefinedtoincludenotjustthechildsparentsandsiblings,butalso
siblingsofthechildsparents.Andafamilyenterpriseincludesanywork,professionor
businessinwhichanyfamilymemberworksalongwithotherpersons.
Consideringthataround80percentofchildlabourisinworkwithfamilymembers,
thesechangesmightharmchildinaseriousway.