Evangelical Fellowship of India urges implementation of child–labor laws

Observing the Anti–Child Labor Day on June 12, the Evangelical Fellowship of India Children At Risk (EFICAR), sought prayers for child labors and for the implementation of laws that ban them.

"With growing number of Child population in India, the problems affecting the lives of children are also enormous. One of the most biggest and common issue in India is Child Labour. It is a startling fact that India has 12.7 million child Labourers aged between 5 & 14 – the highest in the world," its report said.

“Most of them work 10–13 hours a day. The number of child labourers is increasing in the states like Sikkim, Nagaland and Himachal Pradesh where there was no trace of child labour some years back.”

The child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 prohibits the employment of children below 14 years of age in hazardous industries and the notification issued in Oct. 2006 under this Act prohibits the employment of children below 14 as domestic servants, in dhabas (roadside stalls), restaurants, tea stalls, hotels, recreation centres.

According to the law, infringement of this Act, will incur punishment of not less than 3 months of imprisonment, which may extend to 1 year or with fine not less than Rs 10,000, which may extend to Rs 20,000.

EFICAR laments that although these laws have existed from years, the implementation of these Acts has never been effective. It requested prayers, for the stringent implementation of the child labor acts, which has been for long ignored by the people.

Its General Secretary, Rev. Richard Howell, urged that every citizen become aware of the Acts and complies with its provisions so that "our nation will become a better and safe place for children to live in.”

Evangelical Fellowship of India (established 1951) is a charter member of World Evangelical Alliance, an accredited NGO with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.