Hazardous employment

The International Labour Organisation defines child labour as any work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential, their dignity and one that is harmful to the physical and mental development of the child. It includes work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous to children. Work that interferes with a child’s ability to attend and participate in school fully by obliging them to leave school prematurely; or requiring them to try to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work is also child labour. It is both a cause and consequence of poverty. In India, a "Child" as defined by the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act of 2016 as a person who has not completed 14 years of age. Despite the strict laws, child labourers are still working at brick kilns in Bihar.

12 June marks the World Day Against Child Labour under the theme “Universal Social Protection to End Child Labour.” On this day, the ILO, together with its constituents and partners, is calling for increased investment in social protection systems and schemes to establish solid social protection floors and protect children from child labour.

Photo: Aftab Alam Siddqui