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It was a law that received much attention on 10 October 2006 when India passed the law to ban children below 14 working as domestic helps come into force under the Child Labour Act 1986. The employer can be fined Rs10,000-20,000 or jailed for 3 months to 1 year or both.



However two years latter, nothing much seems to have changed. Statistics reflect that children are still working and facing exploitation in the streets of India with some are working without pay in return for food while some were paid only a token sum.



The labour Ministry only carried out 127 inspections until April 2008, of which 26 children have been rescued and 12 employers prosecuted, without a single conviction. Rescued children are taken cared for by the Child Welfare Committee where they are sent back to their native villages and rehabilitated and returned to their parents.



For many children the ban means nothing to them as they need food to survive so they will look for work/food again as there are no appropriate long term rehabilitation strategy in place. For the NGOs and trade union movement the reinforcement and implementation of the law is weak.



UNI Apro Women and Youth Committee are urging the authorities to look seriously in the need to build long term strategy including finding adequate resources to successfully eliminate child labour.



Children should have the right for education, food, shelter, love and … the right for being a child!