M. Kaiser
Childhood is an important phase of life, during this stage the human foundations are laid for a successful adult life. It is such a charming phase that its memories last lifelong. However, there are children whose childhood turns ugly due to child labour. Child Labour engages children in economic activity, on part or full-time basis. The practice deprives children of their childhood, and is harmful to their physical and mental development. Today one of the greatest maladies that have spread across the world is that of child labor, coupled with child abuse. Children trapped in this malady find themselves helpless in the dungeon of being children and controlled by others. Poverty, lack of affordable education system and growth of informal economy are considered as the important causes of child labour in India. There are numerous painful stories of thousands of children across India including in our state. Child labour presents a pathetic scene in J&K, children who should have been in schools, they are often spotted in markets and other commercial establishments.
While experts blame the system, poverty, illiteracy, etc. yet the fact is that the entire nation is responsible for every crime against a child. Labour Day was observed on beginning of this month across globe including India. It is a day for processions and campaigns, the theme of these campaigns has mostly been a war between insurgency and capitalism. Socialists retrieve their belief that ‘All the labourers have to come together to uproot the capitalism. We (labourers) are not because of them but they (capitalists) are because of us’. Rather than focusing on tussle between labour class and capitalist class, child labour must be included in the philosophy of Labour Day. This could be an important step towards the end of child labour and give every child a well-deserved healthy and normal childhood.
While experts blame the system, poverty, illiteracy, etc. yet the fact is that the entire nation is responsible for every crime against a child. Labour Day was observed on beginning of this month across globe including India. It is a day for processions and campaigns, the theme of these campaigns has mostly been a war between insurgency and capitalism. Socialists retrieve their belief that ‘All the labourers have to come together to uproot the capitalism. We (labourers) are not because of them but they (capitalists) are because of us’. Rather than focusing on tussle between labour class and capitalist class, child labour must be included in the philosophy of Labour Day. This could be an important step towards the end of child labour and give every child a well-deserved healthy and normal childhood.