Born To Work

Child Labour in India

India! “The fastest growing economy” that’s what comes in our mind, when we speak of India but it is unfortunately only one side.

In India we can see some of the richest men in the world with the biggest industries. But on the other hand we can also see some of the poorest communities of the world. These communities can hardly make their living; they don’t earn even a dollar despite of their hard work.

The children of these communities are the most effected, they face a very tough life right from their child hood. They are not lucky enough to be cared in their tender ages. These children have to pay a huge price for their existence.

Child labour is at its peak in India despite hollow slogans from the Indian government. There are millions of children under the age of 14 who are working only to survive. They work for food, they work to be alive. The main reason behind child labour is poverty and growing population adds fuel to it.

These children are working everywhere. Some have to beg, some have to polish shoes, some have to collect waste materials, some are working in homes, some are working at heavy construction sites and some are working in factories, industries and mines in very unsafe conditions.

From premature age, they are forced to work at very low wages and sometimes for nothing. The majority of these children have no choice but to work. They are being exploited wherever they work.

When our children are having breakfast; they have to search for food.

When our children prepare for school; they prepare for work.

When our children are holding a pencil in school; at the same time they hold hammers, stones, wastages, pushcarts...

When our children are having lunch; they have nothing to eat or sometimes not enough to fill up their stomach.

When our children return happily from school after learning; they return miserably with kicks, cuts, wounds and harassments.

When our children sleep at home under the arms of parents; they sleep with dogs and diseases on roads under the open sky without knowing what will happen to them today or tomorrow.

The only question they ask is, “why have we BORN?”...

 

Zahid Qayoom Bhat