However, few studies have indicated the characteristics of child labour rural india. They are the most tender, gentle and fragile one and needs to be handled and protected with immense care and delicacy. M y recent monograph, childhood and child labour in the british industrial revolution, looked at the role of child labour not as reconstructed from the standard sources with their middleclass standpoint, reformist purpose. In subsaharan africa around one in three children are engaged in child labor, representing 69 million children. Various causes of child labour like the curse of poverty, lack of educational resources, social and economic backwardness, addiction, disease or disability, the lure of cheap labour, family tradition.
The 2001 survey reported that about 90 per cent of the children working in productive activities replied that they were working to either supplement family income 23. Childhood and child labour in the british industrial. Some children in developing countries often help with their family business, which assists in the process of the products. Current causes of global child labor are similar to its causes in the u. The function of work in childhood is primarily developmental and not economic. Some parents bear the false believe that working makes a child perfect.
The human rights commission of pakistan estimated that in the 1990s, 11 million children were working in the country, half of whom were under age ten. A succession of laws on child labour, the socalled factory acts, were passed in the uk in the 19th century. Sadly, some families believe, more children means higher income. Child labor is still seen in many developing nations. Another important cause mentioned by the experts is the overall social and economic situation in the country. Child labour is a reality for one in every three nepalese children, with each child. The main cause that induces children to work is poverty. Child labour simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The research is grounded on qualitative research techniques by specifically utilising in depth interviews, focus groups, and participant observation to collect the necessary data for the study. Among these, poverty is the primary cause of child labour. Solution of child labour india has the largest number of children employed than any other country in the world. As far as india is concerned, the issue is a vicious one as children in india have historically been helping parents at their farms and other primitive activities. Essays on the causes and consequences of child labor. In determining the basic causes of child labor, most economists take the position that.
History of child rights and child labour rama kant rai children s rights are the human rights with particular attention to the rights of special protection and care, including their right to association with both biological parents, human identity as well as the basic needs for food, universal statepaid education, health care and. A critical analysis of child labour in india 1, mrs. They are also the reason why unicefs work is focused on building a protective environment for children that safeguards them from exploitation and abuse. Child labour may be so deeply ingrained in local customs and habits that neither the. It is a challenge and longterm goal in many countries to abolish all forms of child labour. Exploring the processes and consequences of child labour in. The ethiopian culture encourages children to work to develop skills. In 1856, the law permitted child labour past age 9.
Though children are not well paid, they still serve as major contributors to family income in developing countries. India is sadly the home to the largest number of child labourers in the world. Digging up the roots of child marriage helps us replant the future for millions of girls around the world. The biggest cause of child labour has been identified as poverty. Nearly 70 per cent 171 million of these children work. Children are not only led to labour due to poor school infrastructure but also find themselves caught in the crossfire of indias poverty problem. Child labour is a fact of life for children in many countries and it is an issue that affects us all. Dependence of substance abuse is one of the major causes of child abuse and maltreatment which includes physical abuse and intentional neglect. An uneducated parent never realizes the harmful effect of child labor.
Child labor statistics one in every six children aged 5 to 17 worldwide is exploited by child labor. Pdf it is associated with the causes of child labor in nepal and explain how they compel to be a victim of child labor in this country as it is the. Poor children and their families may rely upon child labor in order to improve their chances of attaining basic. Background to determine the prevalence, types and demographic features of child labour among school children in nigeria. The ilo reported that children work for long hours and are the worst. If a family has sick family members, the child can work and bring in income. Child labour in most countries can or is caused by the high poverty levels of families,poverty is the main causes of child labour, poor parents send their children to work, not out of choice but for reasons of economic expediency. Unicef in action in bangladesh, unicef, ilo and the bangladesh garment manufacturers and exporters association concluded an agreement to. So, the conceptual framework of this study is designed to know the starting point of. The international labour organisation has set an international law on child labor that was signed and ratified by most countries. The continuing persistence of child labour and exploitation poses a threat to national economies and has severe negative short and longterm consequences for children such as denial of education and undermining physical and mental health. According to wikipedia, child labour is the practice of having children engage in economic activity, on a part or fulltime basis.
Causes of child labor the university of iowa labor center. The various forms of child labour and health hazards they are faced. Causes and consequence s of child labor in china by andrea morley the government of china opened its doors to the global economy in the late 1970s, with gradually but steadily increasing competition, trade, and production. Here, we provide you with an insight into this deeply abominable practice, and the scarring effects it can have on children and society as a whole. Five indian states are the biggest employers of child labour. Causes and consequences of child labour in ethiopia. Causes of child labour cases of child labour are mostly found in families who are suffering from poverty. Sectors where child labour is prevalent in india are identified by ilo, wsi and unicef. Oct 27, 2017 child labour in simple words is a scenario where children are made to work while they should actually be studying and enjoying their childhood. It is the responsibility of everyone to contribute to the elimination of child labour governments, trade unions, businesses, international organisations.
African and asia account for 90% of child labor of the world siddiqi and patrinos 1995. History of child rights and child labour rama kant rai. As we learn what leads people to marry their daughters and sons as children, we can address those causes to stop child marriage. The highest number of child laborers is in subsaharan africa.
It analyses the driving factors responsible for child labour in india and world. Child labour in kathmandu, nepal university of essex. Important reasons of increasing child labor are poverty, low parental income, cheap source, unemployment of elders and parental illiteracy. Apr 19, 2011 child labour in most countries can or is caused by the high poverty levels of families,poverty is the main causes of child labour, poor parents send their children to work, not out of choice but for reasons of economic expediency. Methods a crosssectional interview study of 1675 randomly selected public. Boyden j, ling b and myers w points out in this theory results from studies made in. An estimated 120 million are engaged in hazardous work. Child trafficking is also linked to child labour and it always results in child abuse. Child labour primarily results from household vulnerability. It is hardly surprising therefore that they see no point in attending school. As well as one being orphaned hence having to engage in it, lack of financial support from guardians. Even the developing countries use child labor in various fields which affects and risks the lives of these small angels who deserve to get educated for a better living. Introduction for many years, child labour has been one of the biggest obstacles to social development.
As a layman we can understand that child labour is the practice of having children engage in economic activity, on a part or full time basis. These factors combine to spur children into the street, temporarily or permanently, leading them to a vagrant existence, required too early to make independent decisions. Thousands of children are forced to perform very hard tasks daily. The main causes of child labor include poverty, unemployment, and excess population. It is generally thought that boys become involved in child labour more often than girls, although exact figures on this can be difficult to estimate. This study has explored characteristics of child labour and their families in the rural community of eastern india and also identified their health problems. The research is grounded on qualitative research techniques by specifically utilising indepth interviews, focus groups, and participant observation to collect the necessary data for the study. This paper discusses about the factors which are root cause for child labour. As a result, child labor problems happen more in rural areas than in urban ones. However, despite its menace in various forms, the data shows. In 1990, the united nations adopted the convention on the rights of a child which was ratified by. Pdf a study of child labour in india magnitude and challenges. You must have observed that poor families have more number of children, so it becomes very difficult for them to survive on the income of only one family member which is also quite less. Globalization and child labor radboud universiteit.
Save the children india causes of child labour in india and. So from their point of view children should be sent to work as early as possible. You may be wondering what the boundary between child labor or exploitation is and what tasks a healthy child of a certain age can do. One of our key priorities is to learn what causes child marriage. Illiteracy and inflation major causes of increasing child labour. Only about a fourth of the ilo members have ratified the respective convention, but the age limits are generally accepted. Poverty is the main cause of the child labor problem gill, 1994. Dec 24, 2016 child labour typically means the employment of children in any manual work with or without payment. Despite rates of child labour declining over the last few years, children are still being used in some severe forms of child labour such as bonded labour, child soldiers, and trafficking. Child labor alludes to the practice of employing children fulltime in industries, often under dangerous and unhealthy conditions. In fact, birth control remains taboo among many indian cultures. In addition to these, they have limited resources of food supply and other basic necessities essential for living as they. Child labor is still seen in various parts of the world. First, research illustrated the extent of the child labour problem, which led to the realistic understanding that not all forms of child labour could be done away with at once.
Bindu roy 1,2,assistant professor, dav centenary college, faridabad. Case studies from europe, japan and colombia, historical perspectives no. To these types of children and parents, success only belongs to a certain region or group of people. By deviating from the conventional assumptions of linking child labour with poverty questions, this paper examines the inherent contradictions of our tradition and market economy that tends to challenge our effort to eliminate the incidence of child. Alcohol or drugabusing parent is more likely to initiate child abuse with kids of five years or below. Rickey 2009 points out that many rural areas lack basic services such as electricity and access to drinking water. Origin and causes of child labour and its possible solutions. Illiterate parents also cause child labor to increase. The practice still prevails in developing countries, glaring examples being countries in africa, southeast asia, and latin america. Below are child labor statistics and facts that might come as a surprise to you. The other main cause of child labour is cultural values. Estimation says that 158 million children aged 5 14 are engaged in child labor i.
Unfortunately, child labor engulfs children across the world. Jul 30, 2016 shri bandaru dattatyreya,the minister of state for labour and employment held a press conference here today on the child labour prohibition and regulation amendment bill,2016 that was passed by parliament this week. Jan 21, 2017 child labour continues to proliferate across indias cities, slums, and villages despite decades of social reform. The study was accomplished through a qualitative case study in babati town and the data were gathered through semistructured. A study of child labour in india magnitude and challenges. Across india child labourers can be found in a variety of industries. Some parents develop their false believe even further. Pdf this paper focuses on various concepts and studies associated with child labour, their socioeconomic issues, the world and indian. Studies have indicated several problems of child labour. Child labour refers to the exploitation of children through any form of work that deprives children of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend regular school, and is mentally, physically, socially or morally harmful. Poverty is often cited as the main cause of child labour. Ipecs starting point for action at the country level.
Families with scant resources force underage children to work. Economic hardships and family dysfunction can therefore be named as the main causes of child labour. An estimated 246 million children are engaged in child labour. The 246 million children who are engaged in child labour are living proof of the worlds systemic failure to protect them. Children from a poor family can pay their school fees by working during their free time. Analysis has done base on child labor in pakistan, india, bangladesh, africa, usa and other developing countries. Children are considered as assets to generate income in time of poverty. The causes of child labour were that their parents were nonliterate too, parents did not. Child labour in india walking through the villages of 24 parganas of west bengal one suddenly comes upon bags of hair. Secondly, there was a growing understanding that not all forms of child labour are equally harmful.
Characteristics of child labour and their health problems. Households that supply child labour are those with low and insecure incomes. Nearly 70 per cent 171 million of these children work in hazardous conditions including working in mines, working with chemicals and pesticides in agriculture or with dangerous machinery. These are bihar, uttar pradesh, rajasthan, madhya pradesh and maharashtra. According to the ilo international labour organization the term is applied to people up to age thirteen, or seventeen in case of dangerous work. It is widely believed that families will not be able to cope if their children do not work. Child labour in india is rising, a recent reuters report says. When children are engaged as laborers, they are deprived of normal childhood. Child labour means that children are forced to work like adults and take part in an economic activity.
Child labour in pakistan is the employment of children for work in pakistan, which causes them mental, physical, moral and social harm. Poverty and its related problems are some of the main causes of child labour in ethiopia. Other industries that frequently rely on child labour include maufacturing, mining, quarrying, construction, domestic service and general service such as in retail, restaurants and hotels. The study focuses on parental perceptions of causes of child labour in rural and urban areas of ghana. Parents who have a history of alcohol and drug abuse can be responsible for child abuse. Interestingly, almost one out of every ten respondents said they will let their children work for cultural reasons. Stop child labour about child labour stop child labour. Young girls are engaged in cleaning out this hair to be turned into fancy wigs. In practice, however, the poverty argument does not hold water.
In 1996, the median age for a child entering the work force was seven, down from eight in 1994. There are many laws and regulatory departments for child labour, yet it is ineffective in controlling ongoing child labour. The study examines poverty and poor economic conditions are the root cause of child labour in rural areas of the study. The practice deprives children of their childhood, and is harmful to their physical and mental development. Children are future citizens of the nation and their adequate development is utmost priority of the country. Already poor, smallholder farmers have been hit by a slump in global prices over the last few years. Child labour laws have been strengthened in many countries, and a number of international corporations have adopted codes of conduct concerning child labour. Child labour child as defined by the child labour prohibition and regulation act 1986 is a person who has not completed the age of 14 years. Child labour, child labourer introduction education is the basic. There are approximately 9 million children involved in the unconditional worst forms of child labor. Children problems are directly connected with various socioeconomic factors including poverty, the main cause, which leads to illiteracy, low productivity, poor health and low life expectancy.
Centre for child rights and terre des hommes germany, twenty years of crc. Child labour issues and challenges pubmed central pmc. Moreover, child labor phenomenon is more prevalent in rural areas than in urban ones international labour organization. Children younger than nine were not allowed to work, those aged 916 could work 12 hours per day per the cotton mills act. More than 200 million children today are child labourers. Child labour is not only limited to india, it happens to be a global phenomenon. Child labor refers to the employment of children in any work that does not allow to have children their childhood, interferes with their ability to go to school and that causes mental damage, and also it is physical, socially or morally dangerous and harmful. According to the nonprofit organization prevent child abuse new york pcany, several factors cause some people to have difficulty meeting the demands of parenthood, leading them to become abusive when they reach a breaking point or dont know what else to do. Poorer families are usually overpopulated and they have more children and family members to feed and to take care of. Poverty and lack of schools are considered as the main cause of child labor. Child labor persists even though laws and standards to eliminate it exist. According to the government of india, 179 million children in the 6 14 age group do not go to school and are engaged in some occupation or other. Children should, therefore, be given work at home early in life and be obliged to assist parents. This paper focuses on various concepts and studies associated with child labour, their socioeconomic issues, the world and indian scenario of child labour.