Child Labour / Rights

The International Labour Organization estimates that 218 million children aged 5-17 are engaged in child labor. According to UNICF, “worldwide, 126 million children work in hazardous conditions, often enduring beatings, humiliation and sexual violence by their employers. An estimated 1.2 million children — both boys and girls — are trafficked each year into exploitative work in agriculture, mining, factories, armed conflict or commercial sex work.” India has the dubious reputation of “being the nation with the largest number of child laborers in the world.” The child laborers live a miserable life earning low or no wages working in fireworks, glass-blowing, and carpet-making factories. They remain illiterate, ill-nourished, and live and work under inhuman conditions.

Seva conducts awareness camps to highlight the ill-affects of child labor on society and various laws against it. It emphasizes the importance of education and encourages children to enroll in bridge schools. The dropouts are advised to continue their education by joining bridge schools. Once they receive proper training, Seva assists them in getting admission in regular schools. Seva has been running a crèche centre in Nadimpalli village in Chittoor district to serve children in need. 25 children are being taken care in the crèche.

On 10th July 2006 Seva invited Mr. P.R. Narendra Babu, Secretary, to address villagers at Mamanduru – where the child labor rate is high.

The strategic approach of Seva regarding child labor consists of creating awareness among parents and community, formation of children’s clubs, formation of children’s libraries, formation of self-help groups, integration in existing SHGs, and formation of youth clubs. Seva also works towards creating structures to make supplementary education available to children, counseling them against dropping out of schools, strengthening parent teacher associations, re-enrolling dropouts in schools, conducting courses for alternative skill development, facilitating income generation activities, and formation of village committees