Education is key to abolish child labour

Education is key to abolish child labour

 Child labour is a curse to our society and a crime against humanity. Children work when they are supposed to play or go to school. The sad thing is that they work under hazardous conditions. Though acute poverty is the main cause for child labour throughout the world, everybody - society, parents, government, individuals, low wages, unemployment, poor standard of living, deep social prejudices and backwardness are directly responsible for child labour in India.

Even 23 years after having banned child labour in India, the country continues to be home to the largest number of child labourers in the world — 17 million. On the World Day Against Child Labour, celebrated every year on June 12, there was a common consensus — moral outrage is the first step to eliminate child labour, and access to quality, equitable education for all children is imperative.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) launched the World Day Against Child Labour in 2002 to focus attention on the global extent of child labour and action to eliminate it. Every year, the day links governments, employers' and workers' organisations, and civil society, among others, in the campaign against child labour.

This year, the focus was on the girl child and education being the key to empower her. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), International Labour Organisation (ILO), United Nations Childrens' Fund (Unicef) and other members of civil society met at a joint conference to highlight the importance of educating the girl child and ending child labour. According to ILO estimates, there are around 218 million child labourers worldwide of which 100 million are girls, and more than half of them are exposed to hazardous work.