Ironically the Indian authorities sprung into action after the expose in UK. For her part the child welfare minister said that she will ensure that the children are rehabilitated but says she can’t of anything to stop child labaur. The MGO feed that the government hardly enforces its stringent rules which work in favor of contractors and retail giants. Employing cheep labaur without proper auditing and investigation of your contractor in evitable means children will be used some where along the chain. Shoppers in the west should think “why am I only paying £ 30 for a hand – embroidered top. Who made it for such little? It is ironical to note in 2007 gap made efforts to re-brand itself as a leader in ethical and socially responsible manufacturing, after being criticized for practices including the use of child labour gap may be one of the best- - known fashion brands with a public commitment to social responsibility, but the employment by [subcontractors ultimately supplying major international retail chains] of bonded child slaves as young as 10 in India’s illegal sweat shops tells a different story. The reality is that most major retail firms are in the same game, cutting costs and not considering the consequences. They should know by now what out sourcing task to track down all of these terrible sweatshops, particularly in the garment industry when you need little more than a basement or an attic crammed with small children to make a healthy profit. Some owners even hide the children in sack & and in carefully concealed mezzanine floors desired to dodge raids.
Corporate Organizations
CRC : Convention or the rights of child committee on the rights of the child.
OPSC : Optional Protocol to the CRC on the sale of children.
CAT, CEDAW, CERD, CESCR, CMW, HRC, ICCPR, ICERD, UNC, OPSC, SRSG, ICRMW, UNICEF
CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)
UNICEF, in 1989 the UN adopted the conventional on the rights of the child. The conventional sets out the right that each and every child has from the right to an education to the protection from exploitation and abuse. It applies to every one under the age of 18.
States parties recognize the right of the child to be protected from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interface with the child’s education or to be harmful to the child’s health or physical, mental, spiritual, morale or social development.
Gap Fulfilling Responsibility
Despite its chant able activities, gap has been criticized for outsourcing large contracts to the developing world. In 2004 when it launches its social audit, it admitted that forced labour, child labour, wages below the minimum wags, physical punishment and coercion were among abuses it had found at some factories producing garments for it. It added that it had terminated contracts with 136 suppliers as a consequence. In the past year Gap has severed contracts with 23 suppliers for work place abused.
Gap has a policy against child labaur which states if it discovers children being used by contractors to make its clothes that contractor must removes the child from the work place, provide it with access to schooling and a wage, and guarantee the opportunity of work on reaching a legal working age. It is a policy to stop the abuse of children and has a rigorous factory – monitoring programme in place. Last year gap revoked approval of 23 factories for failing to comply with our standards gap intends to work with government, trade union and other independent organization to put an end to the use of child labour. Despite its charitable activities, gap has been criticized for out souring large contract to the developing world. In admitted that forced labour, child labour, wages below the minimum wages, physical punishment and coercion ware among abuses it had found at some factories producing garments for it.
Eradication of Child labour by community
The strategic approach consists of
• Conducting MFE classes.
• Promotion of awareness among portent and commit
• Formation of children’s libraries.
• Formation of Self group (help)
• Integration of in existing SHGS
• Formation of youth clubs.
• Supplementary education to children
• Prevention of school dropouts
• Strengthening parent teacher
• Re-enrolment in school
• Formation of Village committee
• Control Co-ordinator committee
Business, Government and NGO’s can work together to provide better future for under privileged children
The problem of child labour continues to pose a challenge before the nation. Government has taking various pro-active measures to tackle this problem. However considering the magnitude and exlent of the problems and that it is essentially a socio – economic problem inextricably linked to poverty and illiteracy, it requires concerted efforts from all sections of the society to make a davit in the problem.
a) Government
• Fixing a minimum age of limit of employment
• Enforcing minimum age laws
• No child labour
• Protecting young workers
• Compliance with local laws
b) International organization
• UNICEF
• ILO (International labour Organization)
• IPEC
c) Concerned Groups
• ILO
• ICFTU (international Confederation of free trade unions)]
• NGO’s (neon governments organization)
• Media Focuses
• Consumers
• Local Projects
D) Business
• Cut and run
• In pursuit of good practices
• Working in partnership
