Consequences Of Child Labor In India


While the transatlantic slave trade is over and slavery has been illegal for centuries, the sad truth is that it has never truly stopped. Slavery has existed in some form or another almost since the beginning of time and it continues even now. Some of the time it is disguised in cultural institutions that can make it seem less disgusting than it truly is but this is a very superficial difference. Quite often the victims are the most vulnerable ones in society such as uneducated women and children. This essay looks at some of the results of having a thriving culture of child labor as it relates to India in particular.

Lower Costs and Quality

Many of the children who are forced to work in factories are charged with making clothing. Some of them are indirectly working for huge manufacturing companies in the united States of America. They are paid very little and are not allowed bathroom breaks or lunch hours. They are barely able to feed themselves and as a result cannot do their jobs at a decent standard. This means that the products they make will not be as strong. Some companies do not mind because it ensures that customers will have to return and buy more.

Loss of Human Potential

Every child who is forced to work in these conditions is missing out on the opportunity to become educated and contribute to society. Most of these children are girls and studies have shown that the well-being of a child is influenced heavily by the education level of its mother. Without an education these girls will grow up with less to offer their children in many ways.

Human Rights Violations

There have been several United Nations charters concerning the rights of children. By not obeying these, India is harming its most vulnerable citizens. This is not acceptable for a nation that wants to become a major player economically.

Breeding Social Uprisings

There have been many uprisings around the world related to people feeling mistreated by their societies. Children who are robbed of their childhoods in such factories are likely to grow up to hate their countries and are likely to take action to right the wrongs that were committed against them.

There are laws already in place to protect children from these types of abuses but s always the problem is enforcement.