What steps can be taken by the Indian Government for the elimination of Child Labour?

As per the latest ratification of the Indian Government to two more conventions of the ILO on Child Labour, it will have to make twice as many efforts for making sure that the advantage of these conventions is able to reach those children who are most vulnerable to abuse. As per the 2011 Census, 10.1 million children in the age group of 5-14 years were working. Although the number has grossly reduced from 5% to 3.9% it was still way below the targets marked in the Goal 8 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals which is to completely eliminate child labour in all its forms by 2025. India will have to fasten its policies and enforcement. The government should make investments to gain more insights into the status of child labour in the country. Every demographic factor will have its own drivers which push children into the labour force. Only proper research and analysis can help one to identify such factors. The government has to promote a sector-wide culture of child-labour-free businesses. It is a collective responsibility of the community.

Topics: GS-II: Mechanisms Laws for Protection of Vulnerable Sections