Children below 14 year should not work, even in family work!
The Issue
Rajya Sabha yesterday passed a ‘The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill’ which prohibits employment of children below 14 years in all occupations or processes except where the child helps his family, with the provision for imprisonment up to two years for any violation.
According to provisions of the Bill, no child should be employed in any occupation or process except where he or she helps family after school hours or helps family in fields, home based work, forest gathering or attends technical institutions during vacations for the purpose of learning.
This exception would act as exit road by government to allow children to work and it would legitimizes child labour up to age of 14. This would mean that a child can be employed in any industry, with the employer claiming that it is a family business.
Will the 12 year old Saleem in Mumbai's slums will have to get engaged in his families weaving business after school hours demanding him to sit at one place for hours with head down as his father has to complete the urgent orders for Eid.
Will 14 year old Latha from Andhra be forced to roll bidis with her mother on Sunday, while her school mates will be rehearsing for a play?
Will 10 year old Amit be migrating from Rajasthan to Gujrat for plucking cotton along with his family every year?
Won't the acceptance of children working will allow their exploitation at work due to young age? Won't the children be deprived of their right to play, meet friends and engage in extra-curricular activities after school hours?
The extent of poverty in this country would always force parents to prioritize participation of children in income generation activity than the development. The Right to Education does not have system in place to ensure every child in school. The Social Security Schemes are not ensuring enough income for families to cope.
While there are social and cultural constraints, the Government has to strive for betterment of its people. This bill in the CLPRA is nothing but an escape route chosen by the Government to shrug off its responsibility towards its people.
As Nelson Mandela had said, "There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children." So how are we planning to treat ours?
Lets request Government and President of India to review their decision.
The Issue
Rajya Sabha yesterday passed a ‘The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill’ which prohibits employment of children below 14 years in all occupations or processes except where the child helps his family, with the provision for imprisonment up to two years for any violation.
According to provisions of the Bill, no child should be employed in any occupation or process except where he or she helps family after school hours or helps family in fields, home based work, forest gathering or attends technical institutions during vacations for the purpose of learning.
This exception would act as exit road by government to allow children to work and it would legitimizes child labour up to age of 14. This would mean that a child can be employed in any industry, with the employer claiming that it is a family business.
Will the 12 year old Saleem in Mumbai's slums will have to get engaged in his families weaving business after school hours demanding him to sit at one place for hours with head down as his father has to complete the urgent orders for Eid.
Will 14 year old Latha from Andhra be forced to roll bidis with her mother on Sunday, while her school mates will be rehearsing for a play?
Will 10 year old Amit be migrating from Rajasthan to Gujrat for plucking cotton along with his family every year?
Won't the acceptance of children working will allow their exploitation at work due to young age? Won't the children be deprived of their right to play, meet friends and engage in extra-curricular activities after school hours?
The extent of poverty in this country would always force parents to prioritize participation of children in income generation activity than the development. The Right to Education does not have system in place to ensure every child in school. The Social Security Schemes are not ensuring enough income for families to cope.
While there are social and cultural constraints, the Government has to strive for betterment of its people. This bill in the CLPRA is nothing but an escape route chosen by the Government to shrug off its responsibility towards its people.
As Nelson Mandela had said, "There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children." So how are we planning to treat ours?
Lets request Government and President of India to review their decision.
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on 20 July 2016