Chapter V
FINDINGS AND SUGGESTIONS
Having analyzed the data with the aid of SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) the following are the findings from the research study undertaken by the researcher.
5.1 Findings of the Research Study
1. It has been observed that about 8 per cent did not complete their primary education and only 10 percent could cross primary level of education. 10 per cent get into child labor after 4th class completion, where 10 per cent are boys and 5 per cent are girls.
2. It has been reported that a high [88.3] per cent of the child laborers were from Hindu religion, followed by 10 percent from Christianity. It is also observed from the table that higher the education lower is the family size and accordingly illiterate respondents have registered a higher family size.
3. It has been observed from the study that the model size of the family is four members represented by 38.3 percent respondents followed by 31.7 percent belonging to the family size of five members. A majority [28.3 percent] of the backward class had a family size of four members followed by 13.3 from SC community and 3.3 percent from ST community and one case from Muslim having the family size of five members.
4. It has been observed from the study that about 88 percent of the respondents reported that their families were earning below Rs. 11, 000 per annum and hence far below poverty line.
5. Of the total respondents, 66.7 percent were boys and 33.3 percent were girls. Of the total boy respondents, 41.7 percent belong to BC community and 13.3 percent belong to SC community. Of the total girl respondents, 18.3 percent belonged to SC community and 15 percent belong to BC community.
6. Considerable majority i.e. 23.3 percent child laborers’ families were earning income ranging from 7000 to 8000 rupees per annum which is far below poverty line.
7. It has been observed from the study that 40 per cent reported to have clean housing conditions, of whom 31.7 percent had their own houses and others had rented housing.
8. It has been observed that a considerable 21.7 percent of the respondents reported that their parents were literate. Among them only 8.3percent was maintaining hygiene of housing.
9. It has been observed that 30 percent reported to have been educated up to 5th class, among them 35 percent were under the age group of 11-14 years. 65 percent were under the age group of 11-14 years.
10. It has been observed that a majority of the respondents [33.3 percent] were engaged in daily labor
11. 25 percent of the respondents were working in shops and establishments under 11-14 years age group, whereas 20 percent reported to have worked as daily laborers in 6-10 years age group.
12. A considerable majority i.e.41.7 percent had 1 year of child labor experience and 21.7 percent were of the age group of 6-10 years.
13. It has been observed from the study that 5 percent of child laborers working in skilled nature of work in shops were earning a highest income of Rs.900 to 1000/-. And 5 percent were also earning Rs.500 - 600 in the same occupation. It is observed that 10 percent of the total was working as unskilled daily labor with a monthly wage of Rupees below 200.
14. It has been observed that a considerable 26.7 percent from daily labor reported to have enough rest/interval in occupation, followed by 23.3 percent from shops arid establishments.
15. It has been observed from the study that 11.7 percent of respondents reported to be working in the night hours and that they earned Rupees below 200 only.
16. It has been observed from the study that 20 percent of the total was working in shops reported to have been working 11-13 hours per day, followed by 13.3 percent for about 9-11 hours in daily labor.
17. It has been observed that 13.3 percent of respondents of shops/establishments category reported to have been well treated by their employers. 13.3 percent from domestic labor category have reported to be ill treated.
18. It has been observed that 16.7 percent of the respondents of daily labor category reported to have been suffering from health hazards. It revealed that daily labor category of child labor had some threat to their health.
19. It has been observed that 23.3 percent of respondents from daily labor category reported to have been motivated by parents to enter into child labor activity followed by 20 percent in shops and establishments. 20 percent have been motivated by their own friends to enter in to child labor activity. Altogether 78.3 percent entered into child labor due to the motivation from their own parents.
20. It has been observed that 18.3 percent of boys in the age group 11-14 have reported to enter into child labor activity while they were in 5th class.
21. It has been observed that 25 percent of the total respondents were orphans either maternal or paternal or both.
22. 45 percent of the respondents have reported that poverty and illiteracy were the determining factors to enter into child labor activity, while i5 percent mentioned poverty as the only cause to enter in to the work force. Another 15 percent had mentioned that poverty, large family and illiteracy together forced them into child labor and 6.7 percent mentioned poverty and family tensions as their determining factors,
23. It has been observed from the study that 73.3 percent aware of child labor concept and 26.7 percent were not aware of the same.
24. It has been observed from the study that 45 percent of the respondents reported to have more interest in their work, while 36.7 percent had mentioned less interesting their work and 18.3 percent had mentioned that their work was not at all interesting.
25. It has been observed from the study that 30 percent had reported that their monthly wage was very low as compared to the adults for the same kind of work and 6.7 percent had mentioned their wages were slightly low.
26. It has been observed from the study that 30 percent had unclean sanitation and 46.7 percent had unclean sanitation in their work place.
5.2 Suggestions
The state government has to take concrete steps to strictly prohibit the employments of the children in occupation, which have been under the child labour Act.
The state government must achieve the law enforcement machinery to see that all he legislative measures aiming at the welfare of the child labour are fully implemented in occupations, where employment of children is permitted.
Besides this, the government should also provide financial assistance in the forms of grants-aid to the voluntary bodies for imparting non-formal education, health care, nutrition and vocational training to the child labour.
It is suggested that the government should ratify the Convention No 182 and Recommendation No 190 which deal with the “prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Form of child labour”. The Convention was adopted in 1999 but the government has not yet ratified it.
It is suggested that the government take up different programmes like food for education, providing financial assistance, self employment of rescued child labour, after completion of their study and establishment of production-cum training centres for child labour with stipend, etc to reduce the incidence of child labour.
Efforts should also be taken by the voluntary organization to involve the local public and parent/guardians of child labour so that they become aware of the efforts made by the government for the upliftment of child labour.
The government must constitute children’s Board to study, identify, establish and catalogue the nature and extent of child employment. It should also deal with the problems, needs and working conditions of child labour and to prevent their exploitation in various forms. The duty of the Board must be to check the timing of work, health and cleanliness of child workers and behavior of employer by sending its representatives from time to time. The Board must see that the wages of child workers are paid to them regularly without any delay on the part of their employers. The Board must be empowered to conduct inquiry about the working conditions of children and it must be the duty of the children’s board send monthly report to the state government. The state government must see to it that the child workers are not exploited and their employers fully abide by the labour welfare legislation.
It is suggested that Article 45 of the Constitution be strictly enforced by providing mid-day meals, free supply of books, uniforms and other necessaries so that the school-going children do not depend on their parents.
It is suggested that the government intensify the steps to achieve cent percent literacy by undertaking Adult Education Programme, which in turn will enable parents to realize the need and importance of education.
It is suggested that wide publicity be given to the evils of child labour and the parents be made aware of the problem of child labour.
Government should implement such action plan in the areas where child labour concentration is much child higher. These areas should get priority.
Generally, children work in the appalling conditions in the informal sectors and small-scale enterprises. Their poor working conditions include the long hours of work, short rest intervals, lack of weekly-offs and other holidays, safety and health hazards, physical and psychological abuse, lower wages etc. To protect the child exploitation, legal measures are policy. Child labour laws can play a catalytic and supportive role in establishing a more humane socio-economic order. Since the possibility for the enforcement of protective laws in the unorganized sector is limited, importance should be given to the supportive action that bring improvements in the working and living conditions of children so that the evils efforts of the premature work on their health , growth and future life could be minimized. The legal help could be taken to reduce the working hours, providing weekly off minimum wages and equal for equal amount of work to men, women and children, prohibition on lifting excessively heavy loads etc.
The Government must persuade the employers of the child workers to provide compulsory insurance scheme for them taking them into account the nature of their employment. The government must ensure that every child workers is insured for at least of minimum of Rs. 50000.
There is the need for change in social attitude and in the context mass media should be assigned a constructive role.
Any legislation for totally prohibiting child labour amounts to hardships to the poor parents and their children unless they are rehabilitated or their families are provided alternative source of income.
Most of rehabilitation programme today aim at improving the working environment of the child and are hence helping to perpetuate this evil. The ultimate aim his to be the abolition of child labour and all governmental programmes must work towards fulfilling this objective.
Child labour should not be under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Labour. The rehabilitation programme comes under Education Department, Health Department, and Rural Development Department etc. Coordination with these departments is often a major hurdle. Therefore a child labour should be under the Ministry of Welfare because it should be better suited to deal with the problem in its various dimensions. Land reforms programmes should be strictly implemented. Land to the landless must be provided as most of the families of child labour are landless.
Since more than 75 percent people of the state depend on agriculture, this sector should be developed in a proper way. It provides employment to a sizeable population. Poor families having child labour should be provided free fertilizer, insecticides and seeds etc.
In rural area investment in better irrigation, credit and market facilities should be made available so that rural people can get more out of their land. Programme of Dairy Development and Fisheries must be started.
Village, cottage and small-scale industries should be promoted on a large-scale for reducing unemployment among the adults. Redtapism and other unnecessary formalities should be minimized in such schemes.
Agro-based industries should be promoted to all possible extent for income generation among the rural people.
Voluntary efforts to undertake innovative experiments in early childhood education be welcomed and supported.
Major research must be undertaken and each child labour concentration area studied separately in its particular context and local setting. It is only after such detailed studies are conducted that rehabilitation programmes can be formulated and effectively implemented.
Campaign against child labour can make use of the variety of forms in multi-media, which reach varied segments of people. Apart from the conventional format of press/magazine advertisements, TV, Films, Video Direct Mail, brochures and posters, other potent media for rural area are puppet shows plays and street theatre. Full-fledged exhibitions in the capital and state capital would also be help in bringing interested people together. Since this is the age of media it can be used as an effective tool in combating the child labour.
What the poor need is at stake in the land they till, fair wages for their work, education, training and upgradation of skills, credit and infrastructure support for self-employment in primary , secondary and territory sectors. Above all, they need self-confidence and social recognition to come out of the poverty trap.
Voluntary organizations in rural sectors can play an important role in eradicating the child labour problem, so they must come forward.
Perhaps one of the most important among the measures urgently needed in India for the protection of children is adequate health service at school as well as the work place.
Children are more prone to occupational risks and accidents and, therefore, should be provided with better occupational safety and health services. Gloves and other protective items should be provided to the total workers and pot cleaning. Efforts should be made for making the working and living environment more hygienic and congenial. Actions should also be aimed at protecting children from work-associated diseases.
It is suggested that the government implement suitable Family Welfare Schemes and if possible, adopt suitable population policy to restrict the family to one child.
Adequate medical and recreation facilities should be provided to the deprived children for their emotional and psychological developments.
Most of the child workers hail from poor families they often suffer from under nutrition. The long working hours and the additional energy requirements for excessive work and physical growth creates nutritional deficiencies in them. Therefore, the provision of supplementary feeding programme for working children should be given an important place in the improvement of their working conditions. Employers should be persuaded to provide nutritional food to child workers at subsidized rates, if not free of cost.
The scope of Child labour (prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 should be extended with a view to cover factories of all types where any kind of processing is carried on by the owners with the help of the children. Efforts must also be made to extend the scope of the Act to even unorganized sectors such as tea- stalls, dhabas and sweat shop etc where children are being employed on a large scale.
Apart from the occupational risks, children need to be protected from the other organizational problem such as excessively long working hours, night work, piece rate payment system, etc. They should be provided with adequate tools and equipments and at least, the simple protective clothing. They should also be ensured social security, including medical care and sickness benefits.
There should be periodical medical check-ups of the working children and this practice should be enforced through proper laws, especially in keeping the working environment hygienically free from smoke, dust etc.
The working hours for child labour should not be more than six hours a day which is the requirement of the law itself.
The central Government must direct the state governments to bring the wages of child labour at par with those of adults in pursuance of its policy of gradual elimination of child labour. Implementation of the Minimum Wage Act also needs a lot of attention and the state government should take action to ensure a better compliance of the Minimum Wage Act. Mere passing of laws is not enough unless concrete efforts are made by the states to give effect to these legislations.
Employer must be required to pay minimum wage to every child, below which no child should be employed. The minimum wage should be provided as directed by the Supreme Court in M.C Mehta v. State of Tamil Nadu and Others (AIR 1997 SC 699).
The owners of unorganized sector must be directed to maintain a register of employment dealing with the names of all child workers, their obligation to furnish this detail to the child welfare department concern to see how far the employers are carrying out the legislation requirements with regard to child workers.
Self-employed children face a huge competition with the adults employed in the same occupation. Many of these adults use all kinds of immoral ways to put their junior competitors down, such as to abuse or beat these children, snatch or throw away their money and material teach them bad habits like gambling, smoking, drinking, etc. Lack of protection may also bring these children in contact with the undesirable elements, leading them to vagrancy, delinquency, prostitution, drug running etc. Protection should be provided to these children against the occupational competition with adults and moral degradation.
Facilities for sports and cultural activities should be provided to children at their place of work as well as residence. Laws should be made to force employers to provide these facilities with the actual and regular participation of children in recreation activities, which would help in their overall development as well as stop them from drifting into vagrancy and delinquency.
The aim of the moral protection should be to reduce the intensity of child labour and improve the quality of working condition for children. The protective laws.
It is suggested that the government should initiate dialogue with the trade union at early date so that some institutional framework could be evolved for encouraging collective bargaining in respect of the needs of working children. It is quite certain that if trade unions are actively associated by the government for framing the basic schemes and policies ‘for combating the child labour their involvement would be prove to be quite gainful and their involvement would result in requisite acceptability of the scheme so framed in this regard.
The trade unions can play an important role in the implementation of existing laws on the minimum wages for admission to employment, minimum wage, working hours and rest intervals. Since working children are not members of the trade unions, they do not have the bargaining capacity over their conditions of work. The lack of patronage makes children the most exploited group, who can be fired any time despite the lowest possible working hours. Trade unions can work more effectively if they comprehend the physical and mental havoc the working children have to face, and the fact that child labour reduces adult wages as well as adult employment.
Non-Governmental organization and other social action group have played a meaningful role for mitigating the suffering of child labour to a greater extent. It could be reasonably expected that such social action groups would operate effectively in order to restrain the employer form exploding the child labour by imposing social and legal sanctions against them on the pattern of carpet industry. To accomplish the desired goals these voluntary agencies would be required to work in a well coordinated manner by formulating suitable programmes and policies at international as well as the national level.
There is need to arouse awareness about the child labour. Public lectures can also be organized with more emphasis on the problem and its repercussions. People specially employers and the parents of children should be made aware of the existing laws concerning child labour and the penalties imposed upon flouting them. Measures should be taken for stricter implementations of these laws. The lapse of employers in implementing legislative and other provisions regarding working children should be widely publicized in order to build a strong opinion against defaulters. It is also an effective tool for eradication of child labour.
There is need to bring consciousness among the children so that they may be aware of their constitutional rights and relief accordingly. This is again possible with the help of radio, television, spread of education and literacy campaign.
Many efforts are at its peak to eliminate the child labour. It is hoped that the world particularly the developing countries like India will see the new rays of hope in the new century and millennium. The path is very long difficult, but we are hopeful and industrious. Certainty it will bring victory one day.
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