1.  INTRODUCTION:  What Is "Child Labour"? " Child labour" is work for children that harms them or exploits them in some way (physically, mentally, morally, or by blocking access to education).  Child labour refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labour. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries.

2.  child labour takes many different forms, a priority is to eliminate without delay the worst forms of child labour as defined by Article 3 of ILO Convention No. 182:  (a) all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom and forced or compulsory labour, including forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflict;  (b) the use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution, for the production of pornography or for pornographic performances;  (c) the use, procuring or offering of a child for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs as defined in the relevant international treaties;  (d) work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of children.  Labour that jeopardizes the physical, mental or moral well-being of a child, either because of its nature or because of the conditions in which it is carried out, is known as “hazardous work”.

3.  Child labour distribution by branch of economic activity, 5-17 years old.  The agriculture sector comprises activities in agriculture, hunting forestry, and fishing.  The industry sector includes mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, and public utilities (electricity, gas and water).  The services sector consists of wholesale and retail trade; restaurants and hotels; transport, storage, and communications; finance, insurance, real-estate, and business services; and community as well as social personal services.

5. CAUSES OF CHILD LABOUR:  Primary causes  International Labour Organization (ILO) suggests poverty is the greatest single cause behind child labour. For impoverished households, income from a child's work is usually crucial for his or her own survival or for that of the household. Income from working children, even if small, may be between 25 to 40% of these household income.  Cultural causes  In European history when child labour was common, as well as in contemporary child labour of modern world, certain cultural beliefs have rationalized child labour and thereby encouraged it. Some view that work is good for the character-building and skill development of children.

6.  The Indian government is to ban the employment of children under 14 in hotels, restaurants and teashops and as domestic servants. According to government figures, there are nearly 13 million child workers in India.  A Labour Ministry committee said it had recommended the ban because child workers, particularly in the food industry, were often subjected to physical violence, mental trauma and sexual abuse.  It said children in these industries were more vulnerable as they "come into contact with lots of people". Violators of the ban could face up to two years imprisonment, a fine or both.

7.  Children under 18 years of age assisting in the operation of public or private transportation services for cash is considered as child labour in transportation sector.  These children:  Collect fares from the passengers.  To upload & download goods.  To give signals about the traffic situations while on the road.  Hence, they are deprived of their basic rights and also exposed to highly hazardous situations.  They are prone to accidents and also to severe health problems as well.

9.  RIGHTS OF A CHILD…..  The Right To Survival - to life, health, nutrition, name and nationality The Right To Development - to education, care, leisure, recreation The Right To Protection - from exploitation, abuse, neglect The Right To Participation - to expression, information, thought and religion

10.  Article 24 of the Indian constitution clearly states that "No child below the age of fourteen years shall be employed to work in any factory or mine or employed in any hazardous employment.”  Article 39 (e) directs State policy such "that the health and strength of workers... and the tender age of children are not abused and that citizens are not forced by economic necessity to enter avocations unsuited to their age or strength.”  Although the lack of data does not mean enforcement is nonexistent, the number of child labourers and their work participation rates show that enforcement, if existent, is ineffective.

11. ADVANTAGES:  Child laborers can bring money to the poverty stricken families.  Child gets to learn a trade that can be of use later in their life.

12. DISADVANTAGES:  Deprived of education  Exposed to hazardous working conditions.  Exploitation of innocence.  Health issues.  physical, mental and psychological harassment leading to underdeveloped mentality, possibly leading to CRIMES of various nature.