Child Labour - a great problem

Child Labour is a great problem of developing countries like Nepal. The developed countries have no idea of why the children of developing countries are compelled to work. They only pressure of labour laws and legislation.

It is a matter of shame that we all debate on this subject, organise seminars, give speech against this but what is the result that we have achieved? Still the children are working instead of learning in the school. Actually, the children who are working have no other options. They even can not think about learning. If there were other better alternatives to those children who are working in a carpet factory or somewhere else they would then follow that option and not work.

As we contemplate on this matter, we can come to a conclusion that they do not have option to learn as their parents may not be in a position to afford even one square meal. Moreover, for many children who are working in factory may have this option as only one alternative to begging, stealing or becoming prostitutes.

Actually, no one has the power to compel children to work. Even the carpet manufactures and owners of other factories have that sort of power. Still we find thousands of children working in such factories, but why? The only one satisfactory reason or answer to this question is- they are still better than a life of misery and semi-starvation which they would otherwise be subjected to.

They work because the situations or the circumstances lead them to do so. If we try to stop them from doing work without providing them a better alternative then that will be the most worse work or injustice to them. Labour laws and other legislation would be the wrong remedy to eliminate child labour. Instead of making the children's lives better, they will limit their options. This may compel them to work in worse conditions in smaller far-off factories which are organized to break the law. Next to this, if even these sort of jobs are not available they will be forced to move on the street.

In my opinion, if we ban child labour then also we cannot get success. We can see many NGOs, INGOs, social workers and social workers are working for this. NGOs, INGOs, Foreign aid, laws have failed to end this. We must be clear and sure that child labour ends when parents become capable to earn enough to support their children. The only one way to end child labour is the government's policy which must increase the earnings of parents. The government's policy must be able to create economic opportunities for their parents so that they can support to their children until they become able to stand on their feet. This is the way to end the child labour in Nepal or in any other country wherever in the world it might be prevailing.

By :- Govinda Sanjel
Kathmandu
e-mail :- sagovinda@hotmail.com