Child Labour

Child labour is a serious problem in developing countries. It refers to work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children. All such work done by children under the age of 14 years is illegal in India. Child labour deprives children of their childhood, their potential, and their dignity. Poverty, illiteracy, early marriage etc. are the main causes behind child labour. Most child labourers are employed in agriculture, factories, restaurants, construction works etc. In order to eradicate child labour, education, awareness, and social and financial protection of the poor are needed. Behind child labour there are many reasons like poverty, illiteracy, early marriage, unemployment of adult family members, lack of educational facilities, etc. Among all these poverty is the greatest single cause of child labour. The minimum age for employment in India is 14 years. Employment of child under 14 years of age is strictly prohibited. Due to child labour future of the children is getting spoiled. The wages given to these children are much less as compared to adult labourers. These children are also made to work for longer hours. Maximum child labourers are employed in agricultural works, industries, garment factories, restaurants, grocery shops, construction works etc.Childlabour is really a major issue which needs to be resolved soon. It is the responsibility of all adult citizens and the government to stop this practice and create a safe, healthy and better world for children. The abolition of child labour will only be possible if the economic conditions of the poor families improve and the employment of adults from these families is ensured. Unfortunately, the Government, parents, and some selfish and rather cruel people care little about this problem. Consequently, our country has been degrading still in education and economy. The only way to get rid of this evil system is to be morally conscious. If child labour in our country is not prohibited in the true sense of the term, our country will soon be enlisted as the most degrading country in the world

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According to international law if a child works before attaining 16 years of age, it is said to be child labour. In Bangladesh the problem of child labour is very serious. In our country children work in factories, paddy fields, workshops, markets, etc. to earn money to support their families. They are even engaged in dangerous and harmful work in tanneries, garment factories, motor workshops, ship breaking industries, etc. The work is so dangerous that most of them suffer from deadly diseases, become handicapped and even face premature death. The poor parents of our country encourage their children to work for earning money to add to their income. Otherwise, they cannot survive with basic requirements of food, clothing, shelter, etc.  But child labor should be banned for many reasons. First of all, children should be saved from an unhealthy atmosphere in the workplace and vital diseases. They should be given an education so that they can become worthy citizens of the country. Children should be reared up in the atmosphere of motherly affection rather than the hostile situations in the work places. But at the same time the main cause of child labor in our country should be properly addressed. It is the economic cause of the family. The children should be given money or food to attract them to school. It will solve the economic problem of the parents and they will encourage their children to go to school. This will solve the problem in both ways. In one hand, the child will get money or food for the family; on the other hand, he or she will be educated. Therefore, the ban on child labour should be strictly imposed.

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When a child is to work, it is called child labor. Those who are under 18, are child labors. These young working children are being deprived of their fundamental rights. They don’t get proper food and clothes, they do not live in a healthy environment, they don’t possess good health and they are being deprived of education. They are supposed to be at schools for learning like other children but they work in garments factories, they work as tempo and bus helpers and they are seen collecting garbage. They live an inhuman life. I think the government and the people concerned should act to protect their rights and stop cheld labour. The government should rehabilitate the slum-dwellers and should create working opportunities for them to develop their living standard. The government should sanction more money for ‘Food for Education Programme’. The concerned people can come forward to help the working children. More child homes should be established for deserted children. After doing all these, we can expect the disadvantaged children to enjoy their fundamental rights and a child-labour-free Bangladesh. Most of the children work as domestic servants and maid servants. Sometimes they are engaged in making gardens. They have to weed out weeds in the corn fields. Often they have to tend the cattle. It is very pathetic that sometimes children are found engaged in risky jobs. Many children work in workshops, hotels and shops. Sometimes they have to break bricks and stones. They collect scraps of papers and ply rickshaws at this very early age. They work as street-hawkers selling chanachur, nuts and vegetables. Sometimes they carry building materials and brick on their heads. They work as porters in the platforms of stations. All these works they do are inhuman. These works are no how suitable for children. Children have the right to educate themselves for the preparation of life. We cannot but call child labor a crime. The employers take advantage of their helplessness and minor age. The house owners engage house servants and maid-servants in work from dawn to late hours at night. Children have neither leisure nor recreation. Children ruthlessly behave in factories, shops, and workshops. Though they work for a longer period, they get fewer wages. They are seriously deprived of all rights they deserve. Moreover, they are treated brutally. People of all walks of life and the government together should endeavor sincerely to eradicate this problem from our society. Otherwise, this child labor will drag us down to utter degradation.