All over the world, especially in developing parts, there are widespread instances of children being used as an informal labor force in all industrial sectors. According to surveys, countries such as Sudan, Congo, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, and Ethiopia have consistently ranked at the top of child labor lists. But it is India, the world’s largest democratic republic nation, that has the dubious distinction of being considered the worst of all.
Actual figures vary, as there is no real consistency in the statistical data collection process. From official estimates to figures submitted by non-governmental organizations and unofficial estimates, the numbers fluctuate wildly, from 10 million employed children to soaring numbers that exceed the 100 million mark.
Certain types of industries and occupations have also traditionally slowed down to employ children of their own choosing. Examples include: fireworks industry, Jari’s work, artificial jewelry units, textile units, etc. Furthermore, the entire framework of small and medium-sized industry has also run the risk of employing child laborers. Apart from these, shipbuilding yards, informal recycling and waste collection networks, food service industries, etc. They have also been shown to be significantly involved in contributing to children’s employment.
In most cases, the murky world of child trafficking has spread its deadly tentacles by taking advantage of the circumstances and compulsions of people already suffering the scourge of severe poverty. But child labor in India is not simply a problem of poverty. There are other factors involved including social attitudes towards children, family-driven neglect, and a medieval mindset that believes in practices like bonded labor, etc.
A careful examination of the reasons behind these developments by the experts has revealed that they don’t actually work on their own. In almost all cases, close interdependencies have been discovered between the key reasons.
At the top of this list is poverty, which is often endemic and runs throughout the family structure or the larger community. Lack of access to quality education is another contributing factor, and dropout rates are higher than the general average in regions where child labor is rampant. There is also a high incidence of gender discrimination and girls are consistently worse off than boys in this regard. Natural or man-made disasters often leave children at a considerable disadvantage and expose them to the risk of exploitation.
However, in general, it is society that is primarily responsible for this scourge. The demand for cheap labor and the consequent exploitation of children are the result of social conditions and therefore the thought process needs to change before we see the effects in the real world.