Essay: Child Labour

Essay: Child Labour

It is believed that children are the hope and future of a nation and their overall growth should be the highest concern of every country. Nevertheless, millions of children between the ages of five and 17 in Nepal are deprived of their right to quality education, food and health services.  They are used in dangerous work as child labourers. Even though the Constitution states that children cannot be employed in factories, mines and other hazardous work places, there are many children who are still employed in brick kilns, restaurants and the public transport sector.

In many rural areas of Nepal, many children, especially from indigenous communities, leave school to work.  When they have to go to school, they have to go to the forest to collect firewood.  They return with a load of bait and firewood on their shoulders in the evening where they should hang their school bags. They are a cheap source of manpower. Some of them are being trafficked to India to employ them in circus and restaurants.

Families living below the poverty line are forced to do dangerous work to their children to maintain their homes.  Many of them suffer from exploitation. Low productivity of land, increasing population, and unemployment obstruct people to fulfil their daily needs. Children are compelled to work to add a few more rupees to the meagre income of the family. Quarrel between parents make children see the family negatively and they feel their home as a prison. Ultimately it leads them to leave their family, abandon school and start working as laborers.

Illiteracy is another reason of child labour. Uneducated parents do not know the necessity of education and do not send their children to school regularly. Superstitions, traditional practices of discrimination and domination of low caste people also discourage children to enrol in schools. Consequently, they discontinue their study.

To sum up, child labour is a heinous crime. It hinders holistic development of the children. To eliminate this evil practice, the elimination of poverty, education and awareness are necessary.  Laws and policies related to child labor should not be limited to paper only to ensure the right to education, food and health of children.

Child Labour: Additional Information

Children are innocent by nature. They are like tender buds and ignorant of the evils of this world. Playing, singing, learning and getting love are inherent rights of children. But children can’t enjoy their inborn freedom and are forced to work as labourers.

Causes of Child Labour:

-          Extreme poverty

-          Inadequate education

-          Lack of awareness of society and parents

-          Superstition

-          Caste Discrimination

-          Social Division in terms of economic status

-          Government making various commitments to abolish child labour and lacking efforts to turn them into effective action.

Impacts of Child Labour:

-          Health hazards

-          Accidents

-          Getting deprived of child rights 

Despite the efforts of national and international agencies to abolish child labour, it is still increasing in practice. To eliminate child labour in the country mainly two things are required which are education and ample opportunities of employment.