New Child Labor Ban Hopes to Improve Life for India’s Children
With the largest amount of child laborers in the world, it is not uncommon in India to see children working in restaurants, food stands, or within houses. Under the 1986 Child Labor Act, children under the age of fourteen are already prohibited from employment in industries that could be hazardous to their health, such as glass- or firework-making. But the Technical Advisory Committee on Child Labor cites the long hours and the psychological and physical abuse at the hands of employers as being additionally hazardous.
Consequently, the labor ministry revealed that a new ban will disallow children under the age of fourteen from working in restaurants, hotels, resorts, tea shops, or as domestic servants. The ban will be implemented on October 10th; those found violating its statutes can face up to two years in prison or a 20,000 rupee ($430 USD) fine.
Some are skeptical about the effectiveness of this new ban, citing, among other reasons, the poor enforcement of the 1986 ban. It remains difficult for the government to track down all instances of child labour; for example, governmental data records roughly 11 million children in employment, but Kailash Satyarthi, chairman of the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Childhood Movement), says the figure is closer to 60 million.
Others worry that this ban will be difficult to implement because many children working under such conditions are not under public surveillance, and this abuse is consequently likely to go unreported. Particularly those working as domestic servants in private homes face this isolation, and present a challenge for any investigative forces.
However, it is an important step forward, and officials are hopeful about the change it may bring about. “It gives us the moral support to fight child slavery,” Satyarthi explained.