OPINIONCOLUMNS August10,2016

Updated:August10,201601:10IST

Alawthatallowschildlabour

RUCHIRAGUPTA COMMENT(4)PRINTTT

TheChildLabour(ProhibitionandRegulation)AmendmentAct,2016
TOPICS suffersfromseveralflaws.
people Atfirstglance,theChildLabour(ProhibitionandRegulation)AmendmentAct,
children 2016,passedlastmonthinParliament,seemsprogressive.Itprohibitsthe
engagementofchildreninalloccupationsandofadolescentsinhazardous
occupationsandprocesseswhereinadolescentsreferstothoseunder18years
socialissue childrentothoseunder14.TheActalsoimposesafineonanyonewhoemploysor
socialissues(general) permitsadolescentstowork.However,oncarefulreading,thenewActsuffers
frommanyproblems.One,ithasslashedthelistofhazardousoccupationsfor
childrenfrom83toincludejustmining,explosives,andoccupationsmentionedin
theFactoryAct.Thismeansthatworkinchemicalmixingunits,cottonfarms,batteryrecyclingunits,
andbrickkilns,amongothers,havebeendropped.Further,eventhetheoneslistedashazardouscanbe
removed,accordingtoSection4notbyParliamentbutbygovernmentauthoritiesattheirown
discretion.

Two,section3inClause5allowschildlabourinfamilyorfamilyenterprisesorallowsthechildtobe
anartistinanaudiovisualentertainmentindustry.SincemostofIndiaschildlabouriscastebased
work,withpoorfamiliestrappedinintergenerationaldebtbondage,thisreferstomostofthecountrys
childlabourers.Theclauseisalsodangerousasitdoesnotdefinethehoursofworkitsimplystatesthat
childrenmayworkafterschoolhoursorduringvacations.Thinkoftheplightofa12yearoldcoming
homefromschoolandthenhelpinghermothersowumpteencollarsonshirtstomeettheproduction
deadlineofacontractor.Whenwillshedoherhomework?Howwillshehavethestaminatogetupthe
nextmorningforschool?
 READ|AmendmenttoChildLabourActleavesissues
unaddressed

Previouslaws

IndiahaspassedanumberoflawsonchildlaboursinceIndependence.Article
24oftheConstitutionprohibitsemploymentofchildrenbelowtheageof14
infactories,mines,andotherhazardousemployment.Article21AandArticle
45promisetoprovidefreeandcompulsoryeducationtoallchildrenbetween
theagesof6and14.In2009,IndiapassedtheRightofChildrentoFreeand
CompulsoryEducationAct(RTE).Buttheamendmentsinthenewlawmakeit
practicallyimpossibletoimplementtheRTE.Itsclausesputsuchaburdenon
poorlowcastefamiliesthatinsteadofpromotingeducation,theActactually
increasesthepotentialfordropouts.Andparents,scaredofthehugefines
thattheymayhavetopayforemployingtheirchildren,arelikelytolieaboutschoolattendanceandmay
unwillinglycomplywithcontractorsinemployingthem.

Anumberoflawshavealsoaddressedwhattoincludeandomitinthelistofhazardousoccupations.In
1986,theChildLabour(ProhibitionandRegulation)Acthadprohibitedtheemploymentofchildren
belowtheageof14inhazardousoccupationsidentifiedinalistbythelaw.Aftermuchdiscussionand
expansion,thelistincluded83occupations.TheNationalPolicyonChildLabourof1987,implemented
in1988,adoptedagradualapproachthatcombinedthestrictenforcementoflawsonchildlabourwith
developmentprogrammestoaddresstherootcausesofchildlabourlikecasteandpoverty.Itfocussed
ontherehabilitationofchildrenworkinginhazardousoccupations.TheCentralgovernmentprovideda
Rs.6billionfundforimplementingthepolicy.Unfortunately,thisbudgethasbeencutmassivelyin
education(28percent)andforwomenandchildren(50percent)inthelasttwoyearsalone,leadingto
thetheclosureof42,000schools.TheEducationforAllinitiativeandtheMahilaSamakhya
programmeshavealsobeendownsized,leadingtoreportsofincreasedtraffickingoftribalandminority
girlsfromOdishaandJharkhand.TaxeschargedfortheBetiBachao,BetiPadhaocampaignshave
reportedlybeenmisused.Theonlyfundsfortherehabilitationofchildrenarethroughmoniesand
assetsseizedfromconvictedemployers.

Reversinggains

Notonlydothenewamendmentsreversethegainsofthe1986Act,butactuallycontradicttheJuvenile
Justice(CareandProtection)ofChildrenActof2000thatmakesitpunishableforanyonetoprocureor
employachildinahazardousoccupation.TheyalsocontravenetheInternationalLabourOrganisations
(ILO)MinimumAgeConventionandUNICEFsConventionontheRightsoftheChild,towhichIndiais
asignatory.AccordingtoUNICEF,achildisinvolvedinchildlabourifheorsheisbetween5and11
years,doesatleastonehourofeconomicactivity,oratleast28hoursofdomesticworkinaweek.And
incaseofchildrenagedbetween12and14,14hoursofeconomicactivityoratleast42hoursof
economicactivityanddomesticworkperweekisconsideredchildlabour.

ThedevastatinghealthconsequencesofthenewActmaybetheworstblowonIndiaspooryet.There
are33millionchildlabourersinIndia,accordingtoUNICEF.Asperthe2011census,80percentof
themareDalits,20percentarefromtheBackwardClasses.Thislawwillrestrictthesechildrento
traditionalcastebasedoccupationsforgenerations.

IftheamendmentsintendedtopreserveIndianartandcraftbyenablingparentswithtraditionalskills
topassthemontotheirchildren,thisshouldbedonethroughreformandinvestmentineducation.
Slashedbudgetsshouldberestoredmiddaymealsshouldreinstitutedandsecurehousingshouldbe
providedthroughtheSarvaShikshaAbhiyanboardingschoolstohomelesschildren.Artisansshouldbe
hiredasteacherstopassontraditionalknowledgeandskillstothenextgeneration.

RuchiraGuptaisanantitraffickingactivist,founderofApneAapWomenWorldwideandhasworked
inUNICEFinUS,Iran,andKosovo.

Keywords:ChildLabour(ProhibitionandRegulation)AmendmentAct,2016,Parliament,Article
24,childlabour