FREE ESSAY ON CHILD LABOUR AND SOCIETY

CHILD LABOUR AND SOCIETY

A concern of child labour exists from poverty. We have to understand as why children go to
work. If parents don't send their children to work I am sure factories will not be able
to consume them. Why poor parents feel children as their assets who will earn money for
their home? 
Are they forced by their parents to go to work? If yes why?
Nearly 30% of population in poor countries are poorest of poor who are not even able to
earn enough for one day food with big family have to largely depend on children to earn
and feed. Parents of these children are mainly illiterate or semi literate are unable to
find jobs, which can provide enough salary. Dream of education to children is impossible
unless suitable employment opportunities made available to at least one person in the
family. Simply by opening schools and providing books are not sufficient measures. We
need to understand the reason behind child labour that is poverty and unemployment.
Minimizing poverty and creation of more and more suitable jobs to parents are the only
solution of eradication of majority of child labour problem.
Some percentage of child labour comes from brutality/ harassments by parents or
stepparents. They are mainly from urban areas of lower middle-income group. This
percentage is too less and easily controllable by penalties to such parents and children
rights. But rural poverty and lack of employment or partial employment and illiteracy has
given birth to majority of child labour problem. 
Our understanding should be little more practical as no parents want their children work
at the age when children are to study and play. System of child labour prevails in the
countries, which are poor or underdeveloped. Nearly 70% of world's poor live in Asia
alone and major contribution made by China, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan and
Bangladesh. Where 70% of populations live in rural areas have main employment in
agriculture and small and cottage industries. Major percentage is illiterate or semi
literate. In India alone around 45% of total thick population of one billion is
illiterate/ semi-literate who is not able to find jobs in modern industries. 36% of total
India's population is illiterate. Main traditional crafts manufacturing has almost
collapsed due to lack of demand in international market has further aggravated
unemployment crisis.
POVERTY AND POPULATION: Curse to especially Asian countries is a result of over
population. Governments of Asia should boldly make decisions to control excessive growth
of population even if they have to take harsh decisions. This can be achieved by
announcing incentives and disincentives:
? Education of fewer children to citizens is soft method of controlling but is useful to
only literate class who are already adapted to fewer children. Semi-literates with
partial success. Illiterates and have their reasons - religion is one of the big factors
that illiterates misunderstand. Religious leaders are very helpful; taking religious
leaders into confidence would definitely give partial success. Second reason what
illiterates perceive is that more the children more the income this perception is
definitely wrong and dangerous. For this some harsh steps to be taken.
? Announcing incentives and disincentive to have limited children will be high success to
control excessive growth of population.
A- Entitlement of subsidized food articles and services. It looks difficult in democratic
countries, subsidy to be allocated by grading small family and big family would help.
B- Entitlement of government positions and promotions. 
C- Entitlement of special preference for small family of poor category to upgrade
standard of living by way of loan and education of small scale industry to set up.
? Accountability of Central and state heads: Each central/ state/ district and local area
head should be made responsible and accountable in his or her legislative area by mutual
agreement. This would be a grate step. Conscious of responsibility would definitely
control population. Also these heads would be helpful to upgrade their areas.
INDUSTRIES: Thick populated countries with higher level of poverty should work for
industrialization that is helpful for all categories of population such as literate or
semi-literate and illiterates. Governments of these countries mainly concentrate on the
modernization and heavy industries. Of course in present world modernization of
industries is very important to withstand the international competition and standard.
Disadvantage of concentrating only on heavy industries is it does not full fill absolute
employment opportunity. Reason is major percentage of rural are either illiterate or
semi-literate they can be consumed in small and cottage industries such as agricultural
instruments and tools handloom/ handicrafts/ poultry farms and etc. Scope of these
sectors has to be widened as this sector has capacity to consume mass level of workers.
As largely heavy industries are pruning their staff due to recession in heavy competition
these unemployed people will shoot unemployment crisis further among literates.
Small-scale and agricultural industries will be beneficial for them also. 
? Governments and international institutions should come forward to upgrade the quality
and measures to bring cost as low as possible and steps to improve its demand for these
products.
? This could be done by inviting private sector and international organizations
participation to bring know how for research and development and promote demand of such
products.
? I.L.O and other agencies should understand necessity to explore the possibility to
encourage this sector especially in poor countries. As this comes in unorganized informal
sector workers are deprived of their social security and pension schemes.
? W.T.O and other international agencies also can be real helpful by allocating minimum
quantity quota required for imports with incentives to boost demand. As more the goods
sold more the jobs created.
? Governments should identify the traditional products or suitable products of rural
areas, which can be promoted scientifically without affecting the traditional grace.
? Governments to make sure the availability of raw material and distribution at best
possible price.
EDUCTION AND TRAINING: Child labour is today a subject without realizing the reason that
has deteriorated purpose rather than solving. In some families of rural areas, due to
unavoidable reasons children are only source of income for entire family. Such children
when they are deprived as factory or shop workers have no choice but to beg and sell odd
items in the streets of urban areas or become child prostitutes. Many children are
indulging into these activities. Ultimate objective of a child is to earn and feed ailing
mother or parents
? It is now the Governments and NOG'S or other international organizations (as new
child's parents) can help by launching schemes of education based earning.
? That is study and earn. Items may be identified from those areas, which are suitable to
young child. It would be rather educational apprenticeship in playing way with basic
education. It is not crime but support to a needy child and better understanding of
crisis of child labour.
? Or NGO's and other international agencies to identify the poor parents, who don't send
their children to work due to financial crisis, support by donation to educate their
children. It is little tricky as some parents may take money and don't send child to
school. In such cases donations to be based on school attendance. Come to school and
earn.
? Some of interior rural villages have primary education schools far- far away and are
hard to reach. Urban high schools and college students can be of grate help. Not only the
rural children are educated but it also provides opportunity to urban students for social
involvement with rural population. To my opinion it should be made mandatory as higher
education becomes purposeful which updates the plights and brings ideas of solutions. 
? Awareness' of education is still lacking in some areas where poverty level is high.
These areas should be given special care and facilities of study and earn. Governments
cannot alone proceed due to heavy burden of deficits. For this activity taking help of
international organizations and NGO's is purposeful. Also social involvement of collage
and higher education students with rural village population will bring social awareness
and education. Our collage and higher education students at present are indulged in
theories and books without social involvement this would be a right step to involve them
in socio economic. 
Besides fighting for child labour the NGO's should also come with new ideas to restore
their parent's employment opportunity by suggesting respective Governments. International
community has responsibility towards poverty. There should not be vast gap between poor
and rich. International organization and community need to come forward and renew their
thinking. 
? Educating/ training into new fields of employment. This will help parents to find
better source of employment.
? Identify the parents whose children are involved and make arrangement of provision of
jobs to them.
? To scrutinize if minimum salary and social security structure is followed or not by
employers. 
? Emphasis should be made for improving demand of crafts products, which consumes more
employment than the modern industries. Modernization of industries should not mean
unemployment. Industries and respective Governments have forgotten the real objective of
trade and industrialization. Rather objective of trade and industrialization should
employment, uplifting standard of living and eradication of poverty. 
? Discourage over population, which is rather killing the world. Lack of education in
these countries main reason for NGO's should come with the ideas to encourage countries
to introduce incentive and disincentives for smaller family.
YOURS SINCERELY
SADASHIVAN
R (BLOCK) 18-C
DILSHAD GARDEN
DELHI-110095
INDIA
Bibliography
Child labour is child of many mothers like lack of social security/
poverty/ unemployment and population.Need all measures to kill mother of weaken to reform
its child Unless strict measures are not
adopted by international community child labour problem can not be
eradicated. There should be joint effort by International societies and
Local governments to reform and minimise poverty/ bring social security
in unorganised sectors and curtail excessive growth of population.
World's biggest enemy is excessive population. These play important
roles to to uplift child labour. For more view my web site below: