Child Labor Eradication, Just a Myth

And we say, India is one the fastest growing nations in the world. How can it be? When one of the basic problems like child labor (among several others poverty, illiteracy, corruption etc..) is still as its peak.. I think I was in class 4th or something when I first read about how hazardous the impacts of child labor for a country can be and the number of laws which are already there in place according to the Government of India for its complete inhibition. 16 years from then, a much much longer time span but have we accomplished anything in this direction..let's see..

I am blessed to get an opportunity to stay at/visit various parts of the nation, from Rajasthan, Gujarat (West) to West Bengal, Orissa (East), to Karnataka (South). I still see  so many small kids working in various small places from a tea stall, to small food joints, mid-ways, small restaurants etc. One could see and tell that they can no way be 14 or more years of age. Even when most of these places are located in prime locations, what could be the reason that no action has ever been taken against their employers? Don't tell me that no government officials from Police Department, various ministries ever get a chance to visit or drive through these areas.  (This weekend I saw a lot of such kids and I did not know how can these kids get help/education etc.)

Then there are kids who belong to very poor families, their parents do not afford to send them to schools, in fact they do not afford meals twice a day. And these kids are consequently forced to go out and beg for money. Ain't this also a category of forced begging, another kind of child labor, since we do not have adequate resources available for the families (and thus for the kids belonging to these families) below the poverty line.

Corporates are bound to CSR (Corporate Social Resposibility) activities where they are supposed to spend some money on activities for social upliftment. I get to hear about a lot of such companies, where employees go to some big, renowned orphanages with lots of things to help the inhabitants with their miserable condition. These are places where children are already availing a decent standard of living. Why not such activities are directed to kids who are really helpless, why do we all end up avoiding people who actually need help and provide all the resources to people who are quite well to do..

These unanswered questions, they really need a lot of thought and pondering..Next time you wanna spend some money on charity, please make sure that it reaches people who are really needy..!!