The recently introduced Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2016 has come under flak from a child rights activist in the city on the grounds that it indirectly abets child labour.
P.P. Baburaj, a former member of the Juvenile Justice Board, Mysuru district, said the Bill, in its present form, would have serious consequences on children. He called upon the President to return the Bill to Parliament for review so that it was in accordance with the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
He said though the Bill makes 14 years the legal working age across all sectors, there is no age limit prescribed for children working in the family or family enterprises, or in audio-visual entertainment. Referring to the provisions in the Bill for children to work in the family or family enterprise or as an artist in the audio-visual entertainment industry, Mr. Baburaj sought guidelines on engaging children in any way. “We have child actors in TV serials that run for years. In the process, the child loses out on education,” he said.
Children in and around Mysuru are known to be employed in farms, the construction sector, tea stalls, roadside dhabas and mechanic shops, though most hotels have stopped employing underage children, Mr. Baburasj said. But relaxing the norms for family enterprises would lead to children of any age working in brick kilns, welding shops, agriculture, toy-making, etc. as they can be passed off as family businesses, he said.
Drawing from his experience, he pointed out that the Bill was not formulated in line with the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2015, wherein the age of a child is defined as ‘below 18 years’.
We have child actors in TV serials that run for years. In the process, the child loses out on education.
P.P. Baburaj
Former member of Juvenile Justice Board, Mysuru district
