Speech on child labour
Answers
Answer:
Child labour in India is the practice where children engage in economic activity, on part-time or full-time basis. The practice deprives children of their childhood, and is harmful to their physical and mental development. Poverty, lack of good schools and growth of informal economy are considered as the important causes of child labour in India. The 2001 national census of India estimated the total number of child labour, aged 5-14, to be at 12.6 million.
Conventionally, a child labour is defined as a child in the range of 5 to 14 years, who is doing labour, either paid or unpaid. The term ‘child labour’ is generally used to refer to any work by children that interferes with their full physical development curtailing the opportunities for education and the needed recreation. Despite a number of efforts made for the eradication of child labour, the situation remains still grave.
Answer:
Child Labour
Children are being exploited through child labour. According to estimates there are as many as 18 million child labourers in the country. They are being exploited both in the industrial and agricultural sectors. They can be found working in hazardous conditions and exposed to harmful chemicals, toxic pesticides or fertilizers and dangerous machinery tools. They are compelled to carry heavy loads in construction sites.
Disadvantages:
Hazardous working environment put children at risk of injury and death. They may contract diseases leading to lifelong disability or death. Due to malnutrition and exhaustion they suffer from different physical health problems. The long-term health problems include both mental and psychological harm. Child labourers suffer mentally and physically. It prevents them from getting basic school education. It affects their mental well-being and physical development.
India is becoming a highly developed country and the presence of child labour is a great shame. It is a curse and a lost to the country. Children are the future of our country. We need to educate them. Give them good health care. Only then will they grow up to be of great assets to the nation.
Preventive measures:
National laws on child labour must be reviewed and implemented in letter and in spirit.
Employers must check the age of their employees and held accountable for employing underaged children.
Basic and primary education must be given free to the children of families living in poverty.
The workplaces must be assessed to identify risky and dangerous conditions.
The public in general must stop hiring child domestic helpers which is illegal.
Let us stand up as one and stop child labour in our nation.