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Introduction

Child LabourChild Labour

Focused AreasFocused Areas

Who are child labourers andWho are child labourers andhow many?how many?

What is the dilemma?What is the dilemma?What is the solution?What is the solution?ConclusionConclusion

By Sahil Chandani 7-D

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Child Labour

ILO :ILO : Distinguishes child labour from economically active children by assertingDistinguishes child labour from economically active children by asserting

that a child above the age of 12 Who does light ,part time work, that is notthat a child above the age of 12 Who does light ,part time work, that is not

hazardous may be economically active but is not to be counted as a child labourerhazardous may be economically active but is not to be counted as a child labourer

India:India:LawLaw

Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986,,

seeks to prohibit employment of children below 14 years in hazardousseeks to prohibit employment of children below 14 years in hazardous

occupations and processes and regulates the working conditions in otheroccupations and processes and regulates the working conditions in otheremployments. Recently, Government has also decided to include childrenemployments. Recently, Government has also decided to include children

working as domestic servants and those working in dhabas/roadside eateriesworking as domestic servants and those working in dhabas/roadside eateries

/motels etc. in the category of hazardous occupations./motels etc. in the category of hazardous occupations.

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Child labour

Child labour in figures (global estimates 2002) = knowledge

National surveys (50)National surveys (50)

( 1998( 1998--2002)2002)

Rapid assessments&Rapid assessments&

Baseline studies (100)Baseline studies (100)

(2000(2000--2003)2003)

246 million child labourers246 million child labourers

WorldwideWorldwide

( age 5( age 5--17)17)

146 million children146 million childrenAged 6Aged 6--1111

Out of schoolOut of school

283 million children283 million children

Aged 12Aged 12--17 out of school17 out of school

Majority boysMajority boys

Majority girlsMajority girls

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4NOs. industry (India) %share

1 Pan, Bidi & Cigarettes 18

2Construction 15

3 Domestic workers* 12

4 Spinning/ weaving 11

5 Brick-kilns, tiles 9.5

6 Dhabas/ Restaurants/ Hotels/ Motels* 7.7

7 Auto-workshop, vehicle repairs 7

8 Gem-cutting, Jewellery 6.2

9 Carpet-making 5.8

10 Ceramic 4.1

11 Agarbati, Dhoop & Detergent making 2.7

12 Others 2

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Should the firms employing child be fined?

A house hold sends its children to work in

order to escape poverty and starvation , now

There is a new law whereby firms are fined

whenever they are caught using child

clearly this will cause the wage for child labour

to drop this is because children are now less

input for firms. But this in turn will mean

children will have to work even harder to be

able to earn the target income (subsistence-

level) Empirically , consider a lobour marketin which each household consists one adult and

several children in a labour market , adults and

children are perfect substitutes. The adult

always supplies labour perfectly inelastically ,

where as children work only to the extent of

subsistence.

6IPEC

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Children will work only when adult wage

rate is below s. let w be the adult wage in

the economy .

if w>s no child labour evolves.

What happens when govt comes into

picture.?

Govt imposes a fine =D rupees .

Let p be the probability for a firm to be

caught so every time the firm will be fined

= pD( punishment cost).

Let Wc be the child wage rate firm willemploy a child only when Wc

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Consider the case when govt tries to raise the fine .Consider the case when govt tries to raise the fine .

This will mean that employing children will be moreThis will mean that employing children will be more

expensive for the firms , because with each childexpensive for the firms , because with each childthere is risk of being caught and having to pay thethere is risk of being caught and having to pay the

larger fine to the govt. so as the penalty rises thelarger fine to the govt. so as the penalty rises the

market will make sure that child wage will drop.market will make sure that child wage will drop.

And once the child wage drops each household willAnd once the child wage drops each household will

be forced to send more children to work to meet thebe forced to send more children to work to meet the

subsistence consumption target, so herein lies thesubsistence consumption target, so herein lies the

essence ofPathology ,an increased fine for employinessence ofPathology ,an increased fine for employin

children could raise the child labourchildren could raise the child labour

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Concluding remarks:

Which agency to control ?

National government International bodies

Or

Ordinary consumers

But again

Inadequate access

Northern protectionism.

Direct or indirect approach .

Close analysis required .