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Child labour is an exigent issue for those who believe they are living in humanitarian civilization where we are working towards egalitarianism of people with establishment of a lot more infrastructure and generation of employment. I believe there are some things which make us behind and CL is one among them. It is almost 60 years of our independence, almost 15 years of Liberalization or globalization and 14 years for passing the bill for Panchayati Raj, but after these achievements where we stand now, we are not even able to even give childhood to those children who really deserve playful life like other child does.
Different section of people are having different opinions like religious people says you had sins in your previous life so in this life you have to face adversity, politicians say the issue is so big that we are not able to solve this in small tenure of our regime, beurocrats say we have our limitation for implementation of putting any developmental projects, NGOs- we are here to put some good example before government so that the government can take up and replicate this model……Excuses, excuses, excuses but ultimately who suffers those who seat in their AC chambers and discuss the policy of development without knowing what exactly ground reality is or that child who are not able to get food to just feed him/herself. Now here the question is where exactly we lack while doing for human development?
There are a lot of advocacy for prohibition child labour and in many places government and NGOs are proactive in the accomplishment of this ban but where exactly we have to work out so that the child who is in the need of getting basics of life shouldn’t suffer just for the sake of laws. This is very true every child should have right to have childhood but are we ready to cope up with the disaster which will come out if child labour will be banned in real sense at ground level. Have we really understood the realistic figure of children who live in distress condition. The problem with us is that we have never been proactive while dealing with developmental issue and always tries to cope up with the repercussion.
I also pity for those development professional who get their higher degree from best development institute with a oath that they would serve deprived section of society but somewhere they kept in the clutches of development brokers and forget what they are here. But also there is silver lining that some people are really doing outstanding works in this area, doesn’t matter from which filed they are coming. But, I have also experienced many good workers who come out with good spirit but after seeing the gloomy circumstances either leave this sector or remain inert.
Now coming to point- where is the solution for child labour, where we need to work upon. I have been associated with this sector for last 2 years and during this tenure I could see many aspects of development from different perspectives. What my knowledge says banning child labour wouldn’t be a solution for life time because as we are growing with our population with disparity it is next to impossible to stop child labour and it is also true whatever step would be taken in future is not going to serve the need because still we are trying to address the outcome not the intention. If we talk to child who use to work then all comes from the slum of the city and maximum number of children coming from those families who had to migrate from villages for the sake of their basic needs. The reason may be low productivity of land, poor market; unskilled labour, low bargaining power, non-institutionalized credit, etc. so unless we try to address the root cause which still prevalent in the villages till we would not be able to alleviate this pain of CL.
Now coming back to rehabilitation of those who are suffering from this, the idea here that all stake holders will have their role to play for this, whether government, NGO, corporate, citizens. The NGOs should come out from this notion that we are here not only to create models but they should adopt the children of slums where they are working and make a channel of funding from government or corporate. They should not only think about CL but also overall community development and generation of employment for the family.
We don’t want to create a society where all should be in the position of spending money like anything but want to create such society where we all will have own stake in the society and will have equal opportunity.
Different section of people are having different opinions like religious people says you had sins in your previous life so in this life you have to face adversity, politicians say the issue is so big that we are not able to solve this in small tenure of our regime, beurocrats say we have our limitation for implementation of putting any developmental projects, NGOs- we are here to put some good example before government so that the government can take up and replicate this model……Excuses, excuses, excuses but ultimately who suffers those who seat in their AC chambers and discuss the policy of development without knowing what exactly ground reality is or that child who are not able to get food to just feed him/herself. Now here the question is where exactly we lack while doing for human development?
There are a lot of advocacy for prohibition child labour and in many places government and NGOs are proactive in the accomplishment of this ban but where exactly we have to work out so that the child who is in the need of getting basics of life shouldn’t suffer just for the sake of laws. This is very true every child should have right to have childhood but are we ready to cope up with the disaster which will come out if child labour will be banned in real sense at ground level. Have we really understood the realistic figure of children who live in distress condition. The problem with us is that we have never been proactive while dealing with developmental issue and always tries to cope up with the repercussion.
I also pity for those development professional who get their higher degree from best development institute with a oath that they would serve deprived section of society but somewhere they kept in the clutches of development brokers and forget what they are here. But also there is silver lining that some people are really doing outstanding works in this area, doesn’t matter from which filed they are coming. But, I have also experienced many good workers who come out with good spirit but after seeing the gloomy circumstances either leave this sector or remain inert.
Now coming to point- where is the solution for child labour, where we need to work upon. I have been associated with this sector for last 2 years and during this tenure I could see many aspects of development from different perspectives. What my knowledge says banning child labour wouldn’t be a solution for life time because as we are growing with our population with disparity it is next to impossible to stop child labour and it is also true whatever step would be taken in future is not going to serve the need because still we are trying to address the outcome not the intention. If we talk to child who use to work then all comes from the slum of the city and maximum number of children coming from those families who had to migrate from villages for the sake of their basic needs. The reason may be low productivity of land, poor market; unskilled labour, low bargaining power, non-institutionalized credit, etc. so unless we try to address the root cause which still prevalent in the villages till we would not be able to alleviate this pain of CL.
Now coming back to rehabilitation of those who are suffering from this, the idea here that all stake holders will have their role to play for this, whether government, NGO, corporate, citizens. The NGOs should come out from this notion that we are here not only to create models but they should adopt the children of slums where they are working and make a channel of funding from government or corporate. They should not only think about CL but also overall community development and generation of employment for the family.
We don’t want to create a society where all should be in the position of spending money like anything but want to create such society where we all will have own stake in the society and will have equal opportunity.
2 comments:
Hi !! the idea is not to leave a comment on child labor case but just recollect some moments from XISS days
I just got so nostalgic reading Sachin's account that couldnot contain myself from writing here..
XISS days ,I am sure many would agree, were initially full of contradicting feelings as to whether we awant to be a part of this sector..this.for me it was constant struggle between my conscience that was convinced of what i was doing and what i was supposed to do but my materialistic self would never give in..i often used to wonder if this is what i want to do..my urban slum days initially were really difficult..camp was fun dissertation was absolute hardwork..educational tour was hectic and nothing more than sight seeing for em with establishment of contact from seniors though some field visits in UDAIPUR(Aastha),Rajasthan(STC)were really worth it.Educational tour was a final seal to the bonds developed in the last 1 and a half years..And then came the much awaited placements.Such gush of emotions, tension, pleasure sense of achievement , sense of failure..everything was there..
The most reawrding during the two years of my course in XISS was the discussion ToD that we used to have in our room(self and Pari) and discussion on NRM..
Two years down the line...i am convinced i am here for good..i feel passoinate , involved not only with sector but evrybody's life i have been able to touch in the smallest way..the ISSUE of HIV and working with HIGH risk group of sex workers was real challenge it exhausted me not only mentally but far more emotionally...
I reflect back on what i do ..and end of it all i feel satisfied..for not the field visits and direct contact with so many pple but also for the fact that what i carry back with myself helps me think and come out with much better planning, that what i am suppose to do...two years have given me the opportunity to have my own understanding of the sector and believe it or not but iam happy that i am no more dependent on ToD for my understanding but i ahve my own theories..own understanding..Its a great sector to be in if yu have the passion, the zeal and the drive to continuosly face challenges and win over them!!! cheers to all of us who are a part of I am proud to be here..working for some cause that makes diff to my being and at the same time to someone else's being too!!!
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