Child Trafficking and Labour Issues

As per Section 2 (14) (ii) and (ix) of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act), a child who is found working in contravention of labour laws for the time being in force or is found begging, or living on the street and who is found vulnerable and is likely to be inducted into drug abuse or trafficking is included as a “child in need of care and protection”, among others.

The JJ Act, 2015 mandates a security net of service delivery structures to provide Institutional and non-Institutional care to these children. The primary responsibility of execution of the Act, as such, lies with the State/UTs. Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing “Child Protection Services” (CPS) (erstwhile Integrated Child Protection Scheme), for care, protection, rehabilitation and reintegration of children in difficult circumstances. Under CPS, financial assistance is provided to State Governments/UT Administrations, for, inter-alia, undertaking a situational analysis of children in difficult circumstances, for setting up and maintenance of various types of Child Care Institutions (CCIs) for providing various rehabilitative services through institutional and non-institutional care.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Railways have jointly taken up an initiative to ensure the care and protection, security and well being of run away, unaccompanied and trafficked children who may come in contact with Railway. The scheme supports 24×7 outreach helpline service for children in distress. This service is available through a dedicated toll free number, 1098 which can be accessed by children in crisis or by adults on their behalf from any place in the geographical location of India.

As per Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India has amended the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 and enacted Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 which inter-alia covers complete prohibition on employment or work of children below 14 years of age in all occupations and processes; linking the age of prohibition of employment with the age for free and compulsory education under Right to Education Act, 2009; prohibition on employment of adolescents (14 to 18 years of age) in hazardous occupations or processes and making stricter punishment for the employers contravening the provisions of the Act. The amendment provides for stricter punishment for employers for violation of the Act and the employment of children or adolescents in contravention of the provisions of the Act has now been made a cognizable offence.

The Government of India is implementing the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme since 1988 for rehabilitation of child labour. Under the NCLP Scheme, children in the age group of 9-14 years are rescued/withdrawn from work and enrolled in the NCLP Special Training Centres, where they are provided with bridge education, vocational training, mid-day meal, stipend and health care, before being mainstreamed into the formal education system. Children in the age group of 5-8 years are directly linked to the formal education system through close coordination with the SarvaShikshaAbhiyan (SSA).

To ensure effective enforcement of the provisions of the Child Labour Act and smooth implementation of the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme a separate online portal PENCIL (Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour) has been developed. One of the components of PENCIL portal is the Child Tracking System which functions to monitor and track the rehabilitation of rescued children so that they do not fall in this vicious cycle of child labour.

As per latest data provided by National Crime Bureau (NCRB), State-wise and Gender-wise case registered, children missing during the year and total children missing during 2016 is given below:

This information was given by the Minister of Women and Child Development, SmritiZubinIrani, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

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Tags: Child Trafficking and Labour Issues