Can India Save Its Working Children?



Author: Madhur Singh

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Summary:
There are still numerous cases of illegal child labour in India. However, when child labour was banned by the government, employers and child's rights activists pointed out that millions of children have to work in order to survive. Farida Lambay, founder-trustee of child rights NGO Pratham believes that the child labour ban is "a great beginning". Other activists disagree, saying that the few rescued children will be employed again, because poverty, the root of the problem, has not been addressed. Also, rescue homes are often overcrowded and do not provide good quality education or opportunities. With millions of children without education or marketable skills, they might cause social unrest in the future. There is an urgent need for India to recognize the need of educating India's impoverished youth. Activists hope that with political action and far-sighted business investments working together, child labourers will have a brighter future.

Opinion:
I feel that children in India should also have a right to work and not be forced to quit work. These children may need the income they earn to support themselves and their families. Education is a long-term investment with no quick returns. Hence if the children are abruptly forced to quit, they will return to work again, as they cannot survive without the income and will be a burden to the family when they study. I feel that the government could start by improving working conditions for these children and providing education gradually to ensure that they do not fall back into the cycle of poverty again.