India will need 100 yrs to end child labour: Report
12 Jun 2015 6:08 AM GMT
With child labour decreasing at a dismal rate of only 2.2 <g data-gr-id="27">per cent</g> per year it would take more than a century to end the menace, a report said on Thursday. An analysis of census data by CRY (Child Rights and You) has revealed that child labour has been decreasing at a mere 2.2 per cent per year over the last decade, contrary to popular perception of its substantial reduction.
Stating that over <g data-gr-id="21">a crore children</g> continue to be a part of the country's workforce, the report said at this pace it would take more than a century to end the menace. The analysis also points out to a dangerous trend. Child labour in urban areas has increased by 53 per cent during 2001-2011. "This is of utmost concern especially since enforcement machinery is primarily based in urban regions and the implementation of child protection structures is stronger in urban India. This increase in urban child labour could be attributed to increased migration including seasonal migration for employment as well as trafficking of unaccompanied minors," says Komal <g data-gr-id="23">Ganotra</g>, Director, Policy & Research, CRY.
Overall, 80 <g data-gr-id="15">per cent</g> of the working children are based in rural areas and 3 out 4 of them work in agriculture as cultivators or in household industries, most of which are home-based employments, the report said. Interestingly, more than half of working children in India are concentrated in five states namely Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.Â
Activists write to PM against Child Labour law amendmentsÂ
New Delhi: Â Various rights groups have urged the government to hold a public consultation on the proposed amendments to the Child Labour Bill, which they warned will end up legitimising economic exploitation of children and rob them of their childhood. They have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a public consultation on the amendments and called for the removal of the provision seeking to legitimise use of children under 14 years as labour in family enterprises out of their school hours and during vacation. 'The Campaign For Child Protection' on Thursday held a discussion here on the Bill and its proposed amendments which <g data-gr-id="51">was</g> organised by Apne Aap Women Worldwide and the Indian School for Women's Studies and Development.Â
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