Pandemic sees spurt in child labour incidence

Punjagutta: Though some schools have started regular classes, students are struggling to get back to their classrooms. The pandemic has left a huge impact on them and their education, as many could not afford smartphones and eventually ended up supporting their families and working even hazardous conditions.

And now they find it difficult to get back to school, as most of their parents have lost livelihoods due to Covid-19. The children have turned bread-earners for their families. A recent survey says 53 per cent of students have been abused physically, mentally and even sexually.

The instances of child labour have also increased mutifold post-pandemic. Several cases are being registered every single day, despite effort by the government and NGOs for eradicating child labour.

Santosh, who runs an NGO, People Helping Children, feels the dire necessity for children is nutritious food. They have no access to education and food that is provided by the government in schools as part of mid-day meals. "This is what is forcing children to work and support their families. Education has now become secondary for them," he rues.

Forty children were rescued by the Hyderabad police in June last year. They were forced to work at different places, including houses. The youngest was a five-year-old who worked as a domestic help. Of the 630 children rescued by the police in 2020, 563 were boys and 67 girls. They all worked as bonded labour. The rescued children were sent back to their respective homes, while a few are to be lodged in rescue homes.

Several organisations are working for their cause. They hear similar excuses from parents for sending children to work to support family incomes. Mohammad Affan Qadri, who works for child rights, says the children are turning bonded labourers.

They are confined in four walls of a room and forced to work for long hours and paid pittance for hard work. Usually, children are brought from villages to work for lesser amount. In case of a police raid, they are sent back to their respective villages. Once the issue settles down, the child laborers are back.

The police conduct numerous programmes such as Operation Smile that work for eradication of such heinous practices. They say that support from people is needed to create awareness about such issues.

Rising instances of child labour are a threat not just to lives of children, but also to nation and its economy. The sole effort of the government should be to inculcate value of education in children – they are meant to learn and not earn.