Title: Child Labour in India:

Causes, Consequences, and

Solutions
Introduction
Child labour remains a significant issue in India, affecting millions of
children across various sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing,
mining, and domestic work. Despite various legal and policy
frameworks, the problem persists due to a combination of economic,
social, and cultural factors.

Definition of Child Labour

Child labour refers to the employment of children in work that deprives
them of their childhood, education, and overall development. According
to the International Labour Organization (ILO), it includes work that is
mentally, physically, socially, or morally harmful to children.

Extent of the Problem in India

 According to the 2011 Census, over 10 million children were
engaged in child labour in India.
 However, various studies suggest that the numbers are likely
underreported due to the informal nature of many child labour
jobs.
 Children are often employed in hazardous sectors such as mining,
glass manufacturing, carpet weaving, and agriculture, with no
proper legal protections or compensation.
Causes of Child Labour in India
1. Poverty: Poverty is one of the most significant drivers of child
labour. Families living below the poverty line often send their
children to work as a means of additional income for survival.
2. Lack of Education: Many children do not have access to quality
education due to high costs, inadequate infrastructure, or societal
norms that devalue education for girls, especially in rural areas.
3. Cultural Factors: In certain communities, children working is
seen as a normal part of family life. In some regions, traditional
industries such as carpet weaving or handloom weaving involve
families working together, with children contributing.
4. Weak Enforcement of Laws: Though India has laws prohibiting
child labour, their implementation is weak. Lack of awareness,
corrupt practices, and insufficient law enforcement allow
businesses to exploit children.
5. Migration and Informal Economy: Families often migrate from
rural areas to cities in search of better opportunities, but they end
up in the informal economy where children work in unregulated
conditions.
6. Inadequate Government Support: The absence of sufficient
social safety nets, lack of affordable healthcare, and insufficient
governmental intervention at the grassroots level contribute to the
persistence of child labour.

Consequences of Child Labour

1. Impact on Health: Children engaged in hazardous labour are
exposed to physical dangers, including injuries, accidents, and
long-term health problems like respiratory diseases, malnutrition,
and stunted growth.
2. Loss of Education: Child labour deprives children of the
opportunity to go to school, limiting their ability to develop
 essential skills, reducing their chances for upward mobility, and
trapping them in a cycle of poverty.
3. Psychological Effects: Children working long hours in harsh
conditions suffer from mental and emotional stress, leading to a
loss of self-esteem, anxiety, and depression.
4. Exploitation and Abuse: Many child labourers face exploitation
in terms of low wages, long working hours, and even physical or
sexual abuse.
5. Long-term Economic Impacts: The lack of education and skills
reduces children's future employment opportunities, leading to a
workforce that remains unskilled and perpetuates poverty.

Legal Framework in India

 The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation)
Act, 1986: This act prohibited the employment of
children below the age of 14 in hazardous
occupations.
 The Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009: This act
made education free and compulsory for children
aged 6 to 14, helping to reduce the number of
children working.
 The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of
Children) Act, 2015: This act focuses on the
rehabilitation of children rescued from labour.
 The National Child Labour Project (NCLP):
Launched by the Government of India in 1988, this
program works to remove children from the
workforce and ensure they receive an education.

Steps Taken to Combat Child Labour

1. National Child Labour Project (NCLP) and Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan (SSA) aim to provide education and rehabilitate child
 workers.Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation)
Amendment Act, 2016 extended the prohibition of child labour to
include all forms of employment until the age of 14, and until the
age of 18 in hazardous occupati
2. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): Several NGOs, such
as Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), are actively working towards
rescuing children from labour and providing them with education
and rehabilitation.
3. International Collaboration: India has collaborated with the
International Labour Organization (ILO) and other international
bodies to develop frameworks to eliminate child labour, though
enforcement and success rates vary.
4. Awareness Campaigns: Various government and civil society
organizations have launched awareness campaigns to educate the
public about the harmful impacts of child labour and encourage
more support for education.

Incident: Child Labour in

Carpet Weaving in Uttar
Pradesh
A real-life incident of child labour can be seen in the case of the carpet
weaving industry in Uttar Pradesh, India, which has been a prominent
example of the exploitation of child labour for decades. One of the most
well-documented incidents comes from the Mirzapur district, known for
its carpet weaving industry.
In Mirzapur and Bhadohi, two districts in Uttar Pradesh, children as
young as 5 or 6 were found working in carpet weaving factories. These
children were employed to tie the knots in carpets— a highly detailed,
repetitive, and physically taxing job that required fine motor skills,
making children ideal for the task due to their nimble fingers. These
children worked for long hours, sometimes up to 14 hours a day, with
little or no breaks, in poorly ventilated, dimly lit environments. They
were paid extremely low wages, sometimes not even enough to cover
their basic needs.

The Working Conditions

The working conditions were hazardous. Children were exposed to harsh
chemicals used to dye the carpets, leading to respiratory problems, eye
infections, and skin diseases. The constant sitting posture and repetitive
tasks also caused long-term physical problems, including back pain,
poor posture, and eye strain.

Additionally, the children were often denied their basic rights: they were
not allowed to go to school, and many were illiterate. Some were even
trafficked from rural villages, lured by promises of work and better pay,
only to end up working in exploitative conditions.

The Role of Middlemen and

Employers
Middlemen and factory owners often took advantage of these vulnerable
children, exploiting their lack of education and legal awareness. They
paid meager wages to the families of these children, often in advance,
which trapped the families in debt bondage. This form of economic
exploitation ensured that the children continued working in the factories
for years without the possibility of escape.

Rescue Efforts
The situation gained national and international attention in the early
2000s when organizations like Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), led by
Kailash Satyarthi, began actively working to rescue children from such
industries. In 1994, Satyarthi launched a campaign to free children from
child labour and slavery in various industries, including carpet weaving.

Through a combination of raids, undercover operations, and direct

intervention with local authorities, thousands of children were rescued
from carpet factories. These children were then sent to rehabilitation
centers, where they received education and healthcare. In many cases,
parents were also provided with economic support to discourage them
from sending their children back to work.

Impact and Legal Action

As a result of these efforts, laws were enforced more strictly, and public
awareness about the prevalence of child labour in the carpet industry
grew. In 2016, the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation)
Amendment Act was enacted, which made it illegal to employ children
under the age of 14 in any hazardous work, including carpet weaving.
However, child labour still remains a significant problem in some
regions due to the persistence of poverty and weak enforcement of laws.
Solutions and Recommendations
1. Strengthening Education: There should be a stronger
emphasis on making education accessible, especially for
children in rural and economically disadvantaged areas.
Schools should be free and equipped with proper facilities.

2. Improving Law Enforcement: The government needs to

strengthen the implementation of child labour laws, with
stricter penalties for violators and better monitoring
mechanisms.

3. Promoting Social Safety Nets: Expanding social welfare

programs, such as cash transfers or food assistance, would
help families escape the cycle of poverty, reducing the
need for child labour.

4. Community Awareness and Mobilization: Local

communities should be involved in combating child labour
by raising awareness about the importance of education
and the harms of child labour.

5. Corporate Responsibility: Encouraging businesses to

adopt ethical sourcing practices and invest in corporate
social responsibility (CSR) programs that support
education and child welfare can also reduce the demand
for child labour.
Conclusion
Child labour in India remains a persistent issue, largely driven by
poverty, lack of education, and weak enforcement of laws. While the
government and various organizations have made efforts to address this
problem, greater collaboration between all stakeholders—government,
NGOs, businesses, and communities—is required to eradicate child
labour and provide children with the opportunities they deserve for a
better future.

The child labour incident in the carpet weaving industry in Uttar Pradesh
highlights the exploitation children face in India, where economic
desperation and lack of access to education often drive families to send
their children into hazardous work. While efforts from NGOs, the
government, and individuals like Kailash Satyarthi have led to
significant progress in rescuing child labourers, challenges remain in
completely eradicating this issue. Greater awareness, stronger law
enforcement, and increased social welfare measures are necessary to
prevent such incidents in the future.

This real-life case underscores the broader problem of child labour in

India, where children are often forced into work due to economic
pressures, lack of education, and systemic exploitation.
References:
1. Government of India. (2016). The Child Labour (Prohibition
and Regulation) Amendment Act.
2. Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act.
3.
4. International Labour Organization (ILO). (2020). Child
Labour: A Matter of Concern.

5. Bachao Andolan. (2021). Reports on Child Labour in India

6. UNICEF. (2020). The State of the World’s Children: Children

in a Digital World.