Factory Employment Ban for Minors (Outlawing Child Labor in Factories, Etc.)

Factory Employment Ban for Minors (Outlawing Child Labor in Factories, Etc.)

India is taking significant strides to address the issue of child labor, employing a comprehensive approach that involves legislation, government initiatives, education, and rehabilitation schemes.

The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016, prohibits child labor below the age of 14 and restricts hazardous work for adolescents between 14 and 18. The Factories Act, 1948, also bars employment of children under 14 in factories. Furthermore, the Constitution of India prohibits hazardous child labor under Article 24 and mandates free, compulsory education for children between the ages of 6 and 14 (Articles 21-A and 45).

Government initiatives focus on identifying, withdrawing, rehabilitating, and educating child laborers. The National Child Labour Project (NCLP), a central scheme under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, identifies and withdraws children below 14 from work, enrolling those aged 5-8 years directly into formal schooling under schemes like the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. Children aged 9-14 are provided special training to transition into schools, while adolescent workers below 18 engaged in hazardous jobs receive skill development opportunities.

Additional allied schemes supporting these efforts include the Right to Education Act (2009) and Mid-Day Meal Scheme, which aim to improve school access and retention, thereby reducing school dropout-driven child labor, especially in agriculture and domestic work.

However, the root causes of child labor in India are deeply ingrained. Poverty, lack of access to quality education, and socio-economic vulnerabilities of families relying on child income are key factors. Poor educational infrastructure and rural scarcity of schools and teachers exacerbate the problem.

Potential solutions beyond legislation and schemes involve strengthening enforcement and monitoring via community-driven social mobilization and empowerment of local bodies like panchayats and school management committees. Updating national policies aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 8.7, ensuring stronger rehabilitation with vocational training, financial aid, and psychosocial support for rescued children, is also crucial. Addressing root socio-economic factors such as poverty through comprehensive employment generation and welfare programs is another important step.

The challenges remain complex due to underlying poverty and educational gaps, necessitating sustained, coordinated efforts at multiple levels. Awareness and sensitization in society, better implementation and enforcement of the Right to Education Act, and addressing the nexus and corruption related to child labor are also essential components in the fight against child labor in India.

1. Policy and legislation efforts in India, such as the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act of 2016 and the Factories Act of 1948, aim to restrict child labor and provide a framework for education and rehabilitation.
2. To effectively combat child labor, it is essential to address root causes beyond legislation, including strengthening educational infrastructure, updating national policies, empowering local bodies, and implementing comprehensive employment generation and welfare programs.

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