Hand Book for Gaon Burahs and Panchayati Raj Leader

85CHAPTER XVIIIERADICATION OF CHILD LABOUR AND ROLE OF PRI/GBChild labour is rampant in most of the states in India. It assumes thecharacter of social problem as it hinders arrests and distorts the nationalgrowth. A child not properly brought up at tender age, employed at the cost ofhealth and social responsibilities becomes corrupt and irresponsible adult,which creates social tension within the society and hinders socio- economicdevelopment of the nation.Child labour means employment of children in any work that interfereswith their full physical development, their opportunities for desirable minimumlevel of education and their needed recreations. It is that segment of the childpopulation which participates in work either paid or unpaid. It is recognized bythe sociologists, educationist and the medical professionals as hazardous andinjurious to the child’s physical and mental health. In legal term, child labourmeans employment of children below the age of 14 years.In fact, works imposed on children at a very young age obstructnatural physical growth of the vital organs and retards moral development.The evil effects of the child labour are most hideous and most unbearable tothe human heart. This has been globally recognized and thus committeduniversally to protect from and to eradicate child labour for once and for all.GOVT INITIATIVES TO ERADICATE CHILD LABOUR.LEGAL PROVISIONS (national and international): Serious work on socialsecurity legislation begins always with the protection of children. TheInternational labour organization under the banner of United Nationsorganizations since its foundation has drawn a series of standards toeradicate child labour. Right of the child recognized many conventions whichhave been adopted and rectified by the member countries and Internationalbodies on child labour formed. Member countries have been extendedassistances in containing child labour in the form of funding, institutional andtechnical support for research and training etc. The child labour action supportprogrammes and an International programme on the elimination of childlabour are the two ILO sponsored programme for India which are still inoperation.While endorsing the problems of child labour and its adverse effect onNational Development, the framer of the constitution of India incooperated Art23,24, 39(e) & (f), 42,45, &51 (c) wherein employment of children below theage of 14 years is prohibited, directs the statement to provide free andcompulsory education to children, protect their health and to ensure thatchildren are not abused by economic necessities and are given opportunitiesand facilities to develop in a healthy manner, protect against exploitations,moral and material abandonment.