Child Labour is a Crime

Child labour is one of the biggest social issues in India. Children are the future of the nation. Yet there are numerous children who have not known a happy and carefree childhood. More than 39% of India’s population constitutes of children. There are approximately 60 million child labourers in India. Childhood is the most crucial phase of a person’s life because it is the most impressionable period. However, child labour abruptly destroys the childhood of innocent children by making them a victim of selfish and manipulative adults. Child labour is a corrupt and malicious practice and there is no space for such evils in the modern world.

The Government and the various child rights NGO India are working tirelessly to safeguard the childhood of the children in the country. To engage a child below 14 years for economic activities is a criminal offence in India. However, despite the laws passed against child labour, it still continues to lurk in the society. Many children from poverty laden rural areas are used as bonded labourers in cities. When a child starts to work from a tender age, it misses out on the joys of childhood and a proper education. Due to the lack of education, the child labourers are unable to escape from the deadly cycle of poverty throughout their lives. Most of them end up working as labourers even as adults.

Child labour is a crime to humanity that prevents the proper growth and development of the children. Factors such as poverty, backwards society, low salary, joblessness, poor living standards social injustice, lack of education and ineffective laws which are major factors that are responsible for the high incidence of child labour in India. Most of the child labourers are found working for 12- 16 hrs a day for little or no wages. Moreover, they have no freedom and live like prisoners in extremely bad conditions, without proper food and care.

It is the duty of every citizen of the country to contribute towards the development of such unfortunate children. Providing your support to the government as well as the NGO’s that are working towards the cause of child rights, is the first step towards the eradication of child labour.