Is Our Future Bright?

Have your ever thought about where your shoes or crackers for your children on Diwali were made or who made them. Whenever you go in any city in India, one thing that you would distinguishly notice besides the huge population and busy streets is children working at various places. Today there are about 90 percent child labourers who are into this profession either by force or by some unfavourable circumstances who end up doing begging, prostitution, domestic helpers and other odd jobs. One thing that is ideally expressed on anyone’s face is an expression of pity and sorry for these children and then we move on in our lives.

Every single situation has its own contribution to this head high problem. A solution to this urgent problem is desperately needed because most child labourers work under abusive and horrific conditions. The young innocent children are put to work in gruelling circumstances. These workers often toil for twelve to eighteen hours a day in congested, dusty, dangerous environments that severely impair their health. They face verbal, physical, and even sexual abuse from their bosses. According to the International Labour Organization, a workers’ rights alliance, there are at least 250 million workers between the ages of five and fourteen in third world countries.


Child labour issue can not be dealt until and unless concerned organizations influence appropriate Governments to re- evaluate the economic policies and rural economic growth. Target set for 2015 to eradicate poverty may not be achieved until we understand roots and real causes of poverty. This is what in my opinion Governments need to understand and bring policies in accordance. Besides it is one of those important duties that need to bring out a volunteer from each one of us as a responsible citizen of India. We need to make people aware about this issue and report against people involved in it to the concerned authorities. For this purpose our legal system needs to be strong enough to take actions against them.

A law which is not implemented is a sheer waste of time and energy Child labour is like a fast growing disease which needs to be eradicated before it has its roots in India. By buying products and services which actually involves young children, we may be contributing to their exploitation. As shoes show how rich a man is, children are mirrors where we can actually see how India will be in future. We need to change this ugly part of mirror.
(picture courtesy- google, Reference- ILO for figures)