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ET : Child labour ban won't work : Nov 14,2007 HT EXCLUSIVE PART-III - ‘Child labour ban won't work'
Satya Prakash New Delhi What Constitution says 21A casts a Article duty on the State to provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six and 14 years in such manner as the State, may, by law, determine. 24 of the ConArticle stitution says: "No child below the age of 14 years shall be employed to work in any factory or mine or engaged in any other hazardous employment." 39(f) of the Article Constitution says: "The State shall, in particular direct its policies towards securing that children are given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity and that childhood and youth are protected against exploitation and against moral and material abandonment." Labour (ProhibiChild tion and Regulation) Act, 1986 prohibits the employment of children below the age of 14 in factories, mines and in other forms of employment THE NATIONAL Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said that a complete with- drawal of children from work was not a practical solution to the problem of child labour. It would be utopian to expect the state to take care of poor par- ents, he said. In an exclusive interview to the Hindustan Times, NHRC chairman Justice S. Rajendra Babu has said, "If they (children) can get two rotis easily, they will work, rather than taking up studies. A ‘fanatic' approach in this matter will not solve the problem," he said. Asked why the ban on child labour does not work, Justice Babu shot back: "Withdrawal is alright…but is it realistic? Will it be suc- cessful? Will the parents cooperate? Will the children give up their jobs so easily if they are earning some livelihood?" He said: "You can't do it because their parents would not agree." The NHRC chief said: "I look at the problem from a slightly different angle. Many devices have been adopted in the past. If children are completely deprived of their employment and made to study in a school, they might study up to matriculation. But what thereafter? Will they be assured of any job? In our coun try it is not so easy to get a job." He said, "If the children are learning a craft, they should be encouraged to do so. At the same time appropriate provisions must be made for their education. They should be allowed to study and work at the same time." "They can be made to learn while they earn. They must also be given enough time to play. So their hours of work must be reduced as they need time to study." Asked about the recent incident of children being employed in a Delhi village by a gar ment manufacturer, he said one must be aware of the harsh realities of society. "A large number of people in this country are poor and many of them live below poverty line. If there is one more person…he or she can help them augmenting the income of the household. The family will welcome the contribution of the child, in fact, even by discontinuing his or her studies. Therefore, we have to look at it from a holistic angle," he said. Justice Babu said: "The Prime Minister envisaged a Rs 17,000 crore assistance to the their families of farmers who committed suicide. But till today no practical programme has been drawn up. Not a single rupee has reached any farmer from that fund." Publication : HT; Section : Nation; Pg : 11; Date : 14/11/07 |
