Child labour has become a mode of perpetuation extra –economic exploitation and it ensures the economic exploitation and the continued availability of submissive, illiterate laborer who do not have the power to question the system which deprives them of their basic rights. Child labour is a concrete manifestation of denial of all other rights of the children. When they are denied their right for a decent living, when they are denied their right to education, when they are denied their right for free mental and physical growth, when they are denied their right to protection against exploitation. All these denial push the children into child labour.
In this respect child labour in India, is by no means a fringe phenomenon; it occupies an important place in the economy in terms of contributing to the wealth and growth. In India even after the Child Labour(Prohibition & Regulation) Act was passed in 1986, report says about 44 millions of Indian children are still reeling under the cruel jaw of child labour. According to government report, the country has about 13 million child workers; where as the International Labour Organization indicates the presence of 44 million child laborers in India. Thus even after 20 years implementing the Act the number manipulation still goes on. India is but today a home to the largest child laborer in the world.
The ministry of labour has imposed a ban on employing children age under 14, as domestic helps or at dhabas, hotels, garages, restaurants, tea shops and on other recreational centers which has come into effect from last year October 2006. However though the issue of child labours is gaining more and more attention these days, it is not a declining phenomenon.
In the context of our state it is assume by many that Nagaland is free from child labour as there are no industries or factories where children are bounded to work 24 hours a day. Yet a predominant characteristic of child work in our state is largely hidden and disguised in family or in agricultural activities. In other word we can say that they are invisible child labour in the state. To be invisible means to be real and to exist, yet to be unseen, imperceptible and to be out of sight. Because of its invisibility it is difficult to access, to analyze and to address through programmed intervention. However in Nagaland these invisible child labours render unconditional services within their own families, for neighbors or to the community or in private homes. If we look at our state scenario we can notice that most of the household have some way or other a child who works at home. Not only that but we can also notice that most of the tea stalls and hotels are being served by children. There are times when we have witness child being punished and beaten by their employer in hotels and on other working places. There was also case of a child who was employed as a domestic helper in one of the family who was badly beaten and all and her body was filled with wounds and scars. These are the reality of many invisible children which goes unnoticed most of the time.
There are conditions and nature of work that vary from occupation where children are able to develop responsibility and skills, and combine work with schooling, to conditions of extreme hazards and exploitations. The extent to which work is harmful or beneficial to children depends on a number of factors, including the type of work they do, the hours they work, their age and access to education, whether or not they are separated from their families for long periods, and the degree to which they are exposed to specific hazards.
Thus, a distinction is often made between child work and labour. This distinction largely depends on the conditions under which children work, rather than the type of work they do. As most of the work that children do is invisible, not perceived as work or unreported, it is very difficult to obtain accurate estimates of the number of working children. On the other hand there are more oppressive forms of invisibility in child labour, i.e children who do work beyond their physical capacities and who are intentionally hidden by their employers behind hotels, garages and other working places. Many of these invisible children live and work away from their families and are subjected to physical psychological and sexual abuse. Working children who have experience such forms of oppressive invisibility are often overpowered by feeling of shame and inferiority in a loss of self identity and try their best to avoid being seen and recognized.
These are some of the concerns that every concern citizens should looked into and join hand together to PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF A CHILD AND MARCH AGAINST CHILD LABOUR. Together lets make this world a better place to live where every child shall enjoy their basic rights.
Seeing the needs of intervention to eradicate child labour from Nagaland ,Community Educational centre ( A project of Sophia foundation) cater to the needs of invisible child labour in Dimapur and is working with more than 400 such children . The Project is organizing a Signature campaign against child labour at IMC on 9th March 2007 at 4Pm hence we call upon and invite all concern citizens/NGOs/ Govt. Official to participate in the Campaign.
For more Information
9436013628 /236662 /9856163452
Courtesy
Community Educational Center
(Project of Sophia Foundation)
Grace colony Nagarjan post Box- 443
Dimapur.
