Essay on "Child Labour"

Child Labour in Third World Countries

Since time immemorial every living being is making struggle for its survival in one form or the other. It is commonly observed that most of human beings are in strict need of not only his own survival in this world but also he needs the survival of other members of his family. William Wordsworth is of the view that child is father of man. Children are really are future adults of the world. They will have to lead the world and give give direction to the new generation in the light of their previous experience. So how should we behave with them and how should we guide them. We need to realize what are doing for them and what we are giving them. Do we really take care of them by providing the basic necessities of life such as education and health care? We generally observe different the government NGOs and other organizations which are busy in saving the children from the problem of child labour. 

But , alas! Poverty is the enemy of all the future hopes of man. It is the main cause of this hindering children to become the best part of nation. Mostly the poverty stricken parents are compelled to push their young kids into practical life at very the early age of their life. These poor children are confronted with a life of troubles and deprivation of joys of early life.

In third world countries, this is the common phenomenon that children can be seen doing hard work everywhere - in each city, town or village. Like adults, they work in different capacities. Such as they work in hotels, shops, tea-stalls, as labourers, domestic servants, sweeping floors in small industrial workshops, office boys, conductors of public transport and staff assistants. We see them cleaning cars parked on roads, polishing shoes, selling goods and many other such odd jobs. There are million of families in these countries living in bondage in various sectors. The main sectors in which the children are made to work are the agriculture sector, the brick kiln industry, carpet weaving and domestic service. These children earn money for their families - they are like adult bread earners. As a result of this they are deprived of the joy of childhood. They cannot have opportunity of going to schools and get education. 

Their burdensome responsibilities and continuous overwork they fall a victim to various diseases. Having no proper income most of them suffer from malnutrition due to which they seem to be physically weak and unhealthy. Their dresses are not proper and they seem to be born misfit in their social environment.

Now what is needed is that the government and non-government organizations (NGO’s) should take some drastic measures to deal with this unwanted social problem of child labour. Especially the rich people should come forward to help in eliminating this problem. The Zakat is compulsory on these people who have the money and they hold it for one year, they are asked to pay 2.5% of their money to the underserved and deprived people. The governments should create a welfare fund especially and exclusively for the betterment and welfare of the future generation. It should declare that child labour below fifteen years of age is a criminal offence. Non-government organizations must support people’s struggle for justice and emancipation. They should supplement government’s efforts for the welfare of children. They should work to influence and encourage rich people to donate funds for building hospitals clinics, and purchase of medicines for children. Child Labour is a great evil for a nation. We must work to get rid of it at all costs. Media should play its role in uprooting this menace of mankind.

Note:
Google's definition of child labour is:
Child labour refers to the employment of children in any work that deprives children of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend regular school, and that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organisations.