Despite its record economic performance, India is still plagued by immense social hardship, with 400 million people living below the poverty line and 90 per cent of its active population working in the informal economy.
Poverty is both a consequence and a cause of the continued, widespread practice of child labour. India still has the largest number of child workers in the world, exploiting as many as 60 million children.
They work as agricultural workers, domestic servants, weavers, rag dealers, diamond cutters, textile workers, mechanics, stone breakers, and so on, the list is long.
Whilst not all of Indias child workers come from disadvantaged groups, certain factors peculiar to India come into play, such as the caste system. As they are excluded from all decent jobs, the lowest castes and outcasts (untouchables) are the first to have to put their children on the labour market.
Sexual discrimination is another factor which pushes girls into work from an early age: families prefer to send boys to school since educating girls is seen as pointless, given that their purpose in life is to be married off. Many Indian children are also suffering from debt servitude.
Indian laws do exist, which make education compulsory for under-14s and prohibit child labour in dangerous sectors, but they are generally flouted, largely because labour inspection is too feeble. What is more, India has still not ratified ILO conventions 138 and 182, which ban child labour and aim to end the worst forms of abuse.
The international trade union movement is leading, with its affiliates in India and other countries, a vigorous campaign on combating child labour. Its findings on the situation in India are clear: its an emergency.
Kilde: www. icftu.org (international fagforbunds hjemmeside)
