Strategies and Laws adopted after the rise in Child Labor

 

The term "child" is considered equivalent to the universe for parents. Children are the source through which humanity exists. They are the category most prone to exploitation and abuse (both physical and mental). A child is deprived of basic needs and the facilities of education and health, which are important for a child's growth and development. Child labor has existed since ancient times and was considered normal. The Indian Constitution emphasizes that no child under the age of 14 may work in a mine or factory under Article 39. A child must not perform any form of dangerous work. Yet child labor has been the biggest problem on the path of social development for many years. Today, child labor is the most crucial and hateful form of violating children's rights. The exploitation of children's rights is not a recent problem, but it has now gained momentum with the growth of human rights. Awareness regarding child labor is needed in society and the laws are being made for the protection of children. Law students should attend various online law certification courses to take better action against child labor.

Child Labour Issue - Child labor is a major problem not only in India but in all developing countries as it destroys both the physical and mental health of the child. Due to poverty, child labor has become increasingly common, not only in India but across the world. Children are the hope and the future of a nation, so they represent a social problem. Many laws have been enacted to prohibit child labor, but they have not effectively curbed the problem. The 2017 statistical report states that India is one of the leading countries in Asia as there are 33 million children employed in child labor.

Consequences of Child Labour - Children are prone to accidents and many other types of workplace hazards. Such injuries cause social and economic damage, the effect of which lasts for a lifetime. General injuries such as cuts, burns, cuts, fractures, and dizziness are prevalent. Sexual abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV / AIDS, drugs, alcoholism, sexual exploitation of girls, rape, and prostitution are also the consequences of child labor. They also face physical neglect of food, clothing, shelter, and medical care. As a result, they cannot go to school, which means they no longer have primary education, which means they have to live in poverty. Emotional neglect is also the result of child labor. Children are subjected to physical abuse, including beating, often leading to a physical deformity.

Strategies and laws adopted after the rise in child labor - Despite legal norms and the constitution (fundamental rights), there are many cases of child labor in India. According to the Ministry of Labor report, one in four children between the ages of 5 and 14 is a child worker and one in three families has at least one child who is a child worker. The situation was really serious, but that does not mean that the Indian government did not take any action. For a decade, the government worked tirelessly and passed various laws to prevent child labor. Some of them are:

The Factory Act of 1948 - Children under 15 are not allowed to work in factories.

Minimum Wage Act 1948 - A person under 14 is considered a child and therefore cannot work as a laborer.

Plantation Work Act 1951 - The Act mentions the age limit for work. Hence the prevention of child labor.

The Mining Act of 1952 - Under the Constitution, the Mining Act prohibited the age limit. The law does not allow children under 14 to work.

The Child Labor Act 1986 - The Act was enacted specifically to protect the rights and end the exploitation of children in the labor industry.

Children's Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 – The Act emphasizes the rights and needs of children in education. Free education is compulsory for children above a certain age. Therefore, it contributes to the reduction of child labor.

To come up with measures and tackle the problem of child labor, India formed its first body to address the problem of child labor in the country. The council was called Gurupadswamy in 1979. It was the council's job to investigate the problems and problems of child labor in the sector. The council believed that the problem could not be eliminated. So it would not be practical for the board to think they can solve the problem. The council, therefore, opted for a realistic approach to reduce the problem of child labor. The council found a way to ban child labor in hazardous areas. On the recommendation of the Council, the team implemented and proposed the Child Labor (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986. Nowadays, for better protection of children various online legal courses are being organized which give sessions related to the protection of children from exploitation.

Conclusion - The Child Labor Act (Prohibition and Regulation) of 1986 prohibits children from working in dangerous jobs. The law provides for a minimum age for employment of 14 years. The provision of the law helped reduce child labor in India. It has reduced several dangerous risks to which underage workers are exposed in the workplace, as well as exploitation, by establishing provisions for the maximum number of hours or periods of work and various other related issues. The law has played an important role in eliminating dangerous work for children in India. If it is established that the employer employs a minor in violation of the law, that employer will be punished with imprisonment, a fine, or both. Although the law has reduced the number of child laborers, this evil still lives in our society due to socio-economic problems such as poverty and illiteracy. Government should take stringent steps to inculcate the protection of children. The young lawyers and graduates understand the present situation better so they can take better steps against this they should attend online legal certification courses which will help them to get a better idea of what steps they can take to reduce child labor in society.