Opinion | Say No to Child Labour and Yes to Building Careers.

Let’s observe our children and recognize them as our future. Our children are assets in shaping society. Let’s not break their dreams by forcing them into labour. Instead, let’s encourage their growth in schools, on playfields, and in creativity.

Children have become victims on various grounds. First and foremost is the current nuclear family system in urban areas, where boys and girls are forced to work for upper-class families. Secondly, many children are found on streets and roads begging. Thirdly, poverty keeps them out of schools. This exploitation not only makes children victims of labour but also of sexual abuse in some wealthy families.

Who is a child? What does the constitution provide for the child? The Constitution of India guarantees the right to education as a fundamental right, ensuring free and compulsory education to all children above the age of 5 years, allowing them to fully enjoy their childhood. Despite this, millions of children are being forced into arduous work for short-term and narrow gains, remaining out of school or never enrolled. To rescue children from this cycle of labour, we need to devise plans to combat this menace. Education is the only tool to empower children and their parents, enabling them to build a wealthy and progressive society. Often, it is the poorest children who are the most affected victims.

We need to eliminate this victimhood and create a path for children to enjoy their rights. If children are provided with free and compulsory education, including meals, books, and scholarships, why are they still out of school? Who is responsible for making children labourers? Being out of school means becoming a labourer. Despite various laws, rules, and anti-child labour acts in place, children are still being forced into labour and kept out of schools.

Let me first blame myself, not the government, because I keep him confined to the labour room instead of sending him to school. The government provides free schooling and protective laws, so I need to take responsibility and lead in shaping our society and the future of our children.

We need to spread awareness programs. We are addressing various other pressing issues but forgetting this important one, which can be the root of many evils. Children who earn at an early age are often drawn towards drugs and other harmful activities. One clear policy should be to reach out to the parents of these child labourers, provide them with awareness, and address their basic problems. This can be done at the government level or through NGOs. Second, those who employ child labourers should face consequences. The education department must provide accurate data on the number of dropouts and those never enrolled in school. For me, no one below 18 should be engaged in labour work, and there are extensive education policies for this age group.

In a place like Kashmir, we also need to be cautious as our children are not only involved in labour work but also employed in anti-national activities, which are inherently anti-child. During the turmoil, children as young as 10 years old became victims of this situation in the hands of radicals. This issue needs to be uprooted, and significant progress has been made in addressing it. Post-abrogation has provided good results in limiting stone-pelting, hartals, and crises. Schools are now open throughout the year, and children are attending school without unnecessary interruptions.

In Kashmir, the Indian Army played a vital role during the turmoil, saving children from these involvements by engaging them in sports, art programs, cultural activities, and providing quality education. The Army has also provided scholarships and opportunities for exposure tours.

So then, ensuring proper education can indeed help break the cycle of child labour, eventually eradicating the cycle of poverty and radicalization. Access to quality education empowers children, regardless of gender, to understand their rights in society and acquire the skills and knowledge necessary for securing a decent livelihood. Education has proven to be a successful tool in preventing societal ills, including violent extremism, which we expect education to mitigate. Education not only equips children to protect themselves from indoctrination but also fosters resilience against it. Recognizing the pivotal role of education in combating poverty and child labour, the initiatives of the Indian Army are noteworthy. By establishing schools, providing quality education, including for economically disadvantaged children, and implementing programs like Super 50, offering scholarships, and organizing sports events. So, education is the main powerful weapon to fight child labour.