JLS's vision is to create a child friendly society, where all children are free from exploitation and receive free and quality education. To this end, JLS seeks a holistic solution to eliminate the crime of child Labour . JLS is actively involved at many levels- from working on the ground with communities to advocating for policy change at the decision-making level.
After its independence from colonial rule, India has passed a number of constitutional protections and laws on child labour. The Constitution of India in the Fundamental Rights and the Directive of State Policy prohibits child labour below the age of 14 years in any factory or mine or castle or engaged in any other hazardous employment (Article 24). The constitution also envisioned that India shall, by 1960, provide infrastructure and resources for free and compulsory education to all children of the age six to 14 years. (Article 21-A and Article 45) India has a federal form of government, and child labour is a matter on which both the central government and country governments can legislate, and have.
The major national legislative developments include the following:
The Factories Act of 1948: The Act prohibits the employment of children below the age of 14 years in any factory. The law also placed rules on who, when and how long can pre-adults aged 15–18 years be employed in any factory.
The Mines Act of 1952: The Act prohibits the employment of children below 18 years of age in a mine.
The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act of 1986: The Act prohibits the employment of children below the age of 14 years in hazardous occupations identified in a list by the law. The list was expanded in 2006, and again in 2008.
The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) of Children Act of 2000: This law made it a crime, punishable with a prison term, for anyone to procure or employ a child in any hazardous employment or in bondage.
The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act of 2009: The law mandates free and compulsory education to all children aged 6 to 14 years. This legislation also mandated that 25 percent of seats in every private school must be allocated for children from disadvantaged groups and physically challenged children.
India formulated a National Policy on Child Labour in 1987. This Policy seeks to adopt a gradual & sequential approach with a focus on rehabilitation of children working in hazardous occupations. It envisioned strict enforcement of Indian laws on child labour combined with development programs to address the root causes of child labour such as poverty. In 1988, this led to the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) initiative. This legal and development initiative continues, with a current central government funding of ₹6 billion, targeted solely to eliminate child labour in India. Despite these efforts, child labour remains a major challenge for India.
Child Labour relates to those activities in which the worker’s age is lower than the age stipulated in the Law. This practice is considered atrocity in many countries and international forums. In the past, childlabour was used in different kinds in different works. Due to sovereign school education, industrialization, change in condition of workspace, workers rights and child rights, peoples movement started about this topic.
Prostitution, agriculture, help in parents work, personal small scale business (eg, selling eatables), or other related kind of work are examples of child labour. Some children work as guides for tourists, some work as utensil cleaners inrestraunts, some are even forced to do hardwork like loaders, shoe polishers, beggers, store keepers, and all these works in unbearable minimum wage and all types of weather.
According to UNICEF, around 2.5 crore children whose age is in between 2 to 14 years are indulged in child labour. This does not include domestic work. In India, we have got a law which prohibits child labour for children less than the age of 14 but it is neglected.
It is believed that the total population of children upto the age of 14 in India is more than tha whole polulation of the United States. Of total workforce, about 3.6 % share goes to child labour in India. In our country, every 7 out of 10 child works.Out of these, 64% are involved in traditional farming activities. 7 % are working in production, service, or maintainance related work. Only 0.8 % work in industries. Union government in collaboration with state governments is working towards eradicating this social menace. To achieve this goal, Government has taken many steps like National Child Labour Project(NCLP). Under this project, many children have been liberated and they are being rehabilitated in the schools run through this projects.
Under this project, meals nad healthcare is regularly provided to children. In addition to this, monthly wage of Rs. 100 is also given to them. Inspite of all these steps, children are still doing child labour.
According to a study done on 300 child workers of Raisen District of Madhya Pradesh, about 143 are completely illiterate, 114 are studying and only 7 are studying matriculate level. And the interesting thing is that, Raisen has the highest literacy rate.
According to another survey in Bhopal done on the 200 child workers in the age group of 9-12, about 27 % children were ill, 130 children were addicted to intoxication .these children work 12 to 14 hours daily and get a monthly wage of 140 rupees. Only 2% of these children get 300 Rs a month. They yearly get 10 to 12 days leave.
State government always show the decreased data related to child labour. All of us know that the children who are working as labour can play an important role in nation building and we also know that the government only keeps on bragging but no action.
If we can't eradicate the root cause then at least we can create those kind of conditions due to which the government can accept the real picture of this problem that child labour exists in its jurisdiction and it can honestly perform its duties towards it.
JLS along with other like mindedorganisations will try to end this mal practice. We are also hopeful from people that they will also play their part in eradicating this problem.
People should also think that in the race for earning money, they are not snatching the rights of their children. The children should be given their right of childhood.
"We are children Let us live In the greed of Bread, Clothes Don’t mix venom In our childhood Will my childhood Come again Let me drink Two drops of happiness We are children Let us live"
Today, mankind needs to lessen their greed a little and let the children enjoy their childhood. Child Labour Law should apply to everybody equally because every child is a child, whether he is your own or others.