Amidst efforts by the Union Labour Ministry to bring in certain amendments to the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 and to allow children below 14 years of age to ‘help’ in family enterprises, activists demand that the government should not pass the bill in Parliament. In the run-up to Anti Child Labour Day on Sunday, activists made it the focus of their campaigns this year.
Even as the Ministry attempts to defend its decision citing socio-economic conditions prevailing in the country to allow under 14 children to ‘help’ in family enterprises, activists claim the provision would be misused by offenders and it would indirectly legalise child labour.
While answering a query on this issue in Parliament a few months back, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya had said the proposed amendment only permitted ‘help’ and not ‘employment’ in family or family enterprise. He added that the family enterprise should be carried on by the members of the child’s family only and should not involve hazardous process.
“But most of the fields like beedi rolling, matchbox making, where child labour is prevalent, are managed by family elders and children are involved in work. Even now, most of the children are not going to industries, but remain workers in their homes. The proposed amendment would only worsen the situation,” says R. Vidyasagar, formerly Child Protection Specialist with United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
The Right to Education Act, he contends, must also insist on the child’s right to leisure and right to play. “The child's overall well-being can be ensured when he or she gets education, play, leisure. So making them work for three hours in the morning and evening beyond school hours would affect them,” he says.
National Domestic Workers Movement’s (NDWM) State Convenor Valarmathi says children of domestic workers were the most affected. “Since mothers of these children are involved in domestic work, these children are encouraged to help their mothers. So, technically they will be helping their mothers, but child labour practically. The proposed amendment should not be implemented.”
Upper age limit
She wants upper age limit in the Child Labour Act of 14 years to be amended to 18. “The children must be allowed to complete schooling. So, the definition of child in the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 and the Right to Education Act must be amended,” she says.
