Children in India engaged in the worst forms of child labour: US

Washington: Observing that children in India are engaged in the “worst forms” of child labour, US has asked the Indian government to establish a minimum age for employment in hazardous and non-hazardous jobs consistent with international standards. “Children in India are engaged in the worst forms of child labour. Most work in agriculture producing crops such as rice and hybrid seeds. Children who work in agriculture may carry heavy loads and apply harmful pesticides,” said US Department of Labour in its 10th annual Congressional mandated report that provides information on the efforts of certain US trade beneficiary countries to eliminate the worst forms of child labour. “Children in India also work in dangerous conditions, quarrying sandstone and other materials, breaking stones and polishing gems as well as in manufacturing,” said the report, according to which India along with Bangladesh and the Philippines lead the world in the number of products made by child workers. [caption id=“attachment_99301” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Observing that children in India are engaged in the “worst forms” of child labour, US has asked the Indian government to establish a minimum age for employment in hazardous and non-hazardous jobs consistent with international standards.Reuters.”]  [/caption] “We believe that every child has the right to an education and a childhood free from exploitation. We believe that God-given potential is present in every child born into this world — no matter how poor, and no matter his or her race, class, or geographical origin,” US Labour Secretary, Hilda Solis, said at the release of the report “Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labour”. Giving a detailed account to practices of child labour in countries across the globe including India, the US report asked the Indian Government to establish a “minimum age for employment” in non-hazardous and hazardous occupations consistent with international standards; and expand the scope of the act to cover children working in family enterprises. “Every child has potential. And it is our common responsibility to ensure that every child — everywhere in the world — be given the opportunity to tap it,” Solis said. The Government of India is tackling child labour through a “Convergence Model” strategy, which integrates a range of social protection schemes to aid families of child labourers and to help prevent and withdraw children from hazardous child labor, the report said. According to the report, children in manufacturing make matches, bricks, carpets, locks, glass bangles, fireworks, bidis (cigarettes), incense sticks (agarbatti), footwear, garments, hand-loomed silk, leather, brassware and other metal goods. “Children embroider (zari), sew beads to fabric and stitch soccer balls for the domestic market. Many children manufacture goods in the informal economy, increasingly in home-based production. In addition to working long hours in cramped spaces under poor lighting and inadequate ventilation, children in manufacturing may be exposed to harmful chemicals and dangerous machinery and tools,” it said. Service industries that employ children include hotels, food service and tourism. Children work on the street vending food and other goods, repairing vehicles and tires, scavenging and rag picking. “This may expose them to dangers including severe weather and criminal elements, and may lead to their involvement in traffic accidents,” the report said. It said forced child labour occurs in India. Children perform forced or indentured labor in domestic service, gemstone cutting and quarrying as well as at brick kilns and rice mills. Children also work under forced conditions producing hybrid seeds, garments and embroidered textiles. The federal police stated that an estimated 1.2 million children engage in prostitution; the report said adding that India remains a source, transit and destination country for minors trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor in domestic service, agriculture and activities such as begging and making bricks. PTI