Peer-reviewed article
Child Labour in India.
K.S. Kavya, Tharani.M - ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This paper examines child labour in India, focusing on children living below the poverty line who work instead of attending school. The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened socio-economic conditions and increased child labour incidence. The document discusses the social, psychological and physical harms of child labour, particularly in hazardous industries like fireworks and chemical production, and reviews government legislation aimed at preventing it.
Key points
- 160 million children worldwide are engaged in child labour, with an increase of 8.4 million children in the last four years according to ILO and UNICEF
- COVID-19 pandemic has been a significant factor contributing to the increase in child labour
- Child labour causes social, psychological and physical harm to children
- Children in India engage in labour to meet basic needs due to poverty
- Children are employed in hazardous industries including fireworks and chemical production
Limitations
This appears to be a descriptive review article rather than an empirical study, so it does not present original data collection or analysis of specific interventions. The document does not provide detailed information about the effectiveness of particular legislative measures or prevention strategies in India.
Abstract
Child labour is the exploitation of children who are denied access to education. In India, one can observe many children below the poverty line engaged in labour to meet their basic needs. Child labour causes social, psychological and physical harm. Access to education is essential for children to improve their standard of living. They must be protected from involvement in hazardous industries such as fireworks and chemical production. The COVID-19 pandemic has become a significant factor contributing to the increase in child labour as the socio-economic condition has worsened. According to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF, the number of children in child labour has risen to 160 million worldwide – an increase of 8.4 million children in the last four years – with millions more at risk due to the impacts of COVID-19. Despite numerous measures taken by the government, the number of children being employed is increasing day by day. This article tends to explain the hardships faced by child labourers, the sectors in which they are employed, legislation to prevent child labour and its effects