Child-and-adult-labour-in-the-export-oriented-garment-and-gem-polishing-industry-of-India

Child and adult labour in the gem polishing export industry of Jaipur
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plified draft of the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act of 1986 among employers in
Jaipur with the aim of making the employers aware that the child is only supposed to work 6
hours per day with at least one hour of rest after 3 hours of work. Also, the Government was busy
in planning to form a group of experts from all kinds of fields to work out a strategy to combat
child labour in Rajasthan. The media were also going to be invited to work out a strategy to
highlight the issue in the media. Also there was a plan to be set up a network of NGOs to collaborate
in the process of tackling the problem of child labour. He said that there was 'a high
commitment of the Government of Rajasthan to eradicate child labour'.
Concluding remarks on the recent plans of the Government
The Government has made a useful step by first investigating the magnitude of the problem in the
two most important districts of Rajasthan, Jaipur and Udaipur. Secondly, the literacy campaign, if
implemented thoroughly, could also help in eliminating child labour. Thirdly, the proposed
awareness-generating campaign should start as early as possible, as this could be the beginning of
weaning the child workers from the gem industry. But, nowhere does the Government mention a
plan to strengthen the education facilities and involvement of the parents and community, which
could prevent children from going to work at a young age and could stimulate them to attend
school. Nowhere the Government puts emphasis on the fact that children should be in school and
should stay in school which, can only be accomplished by improving the quality of education
with motivated teachers, who make learning more meaningful and joyful.
The Government of Rajasthan is not planning to make primary education a reality for every child.
It is hoped that the Government starts putting emphasis on that right and put all its efforts in
implementing free, compulsory, meaningful and joyful primary education. Only then could the
problem of child labour be solved. Other proposed plans are useless if there is no commitment
and will to get the children in school and to take care that they are kept there by employing
motivated teachers, develop more interesting and attractive teaching methods and meaningful and
joyful lessons and make school buildings more attractive.
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6.8 Unicef's support for 'Joyful Learning': an alternative to the Special School?
Mr. Thomas, Programme Director of Unicef, Jaipur, said in an interview: 'Unicef, Jaipur, does
not concentrate on the child labour problem in the gem polishing industry because it is very difficult
due to the high values which are at stake'. 'Child labour is a highly sensitive topic in the
industry and if you want to intervene you easily can get caught'.
Unicef is focusing on the prevention of child labour and sensitizing the policy makers in
Rajasthan on the issue of child labour. According to Mr. Thomas, rehabilitation of child workers
was of no use. Mr. Thomas said: 'Unicef is of the opinion that 6-year old children should enrol
into school and they should stay in school'. School enrolment, therefore, has the priority in the
policy and programmes of Unicef. The general public should be made aware of the negative aspects
of child labour also. 'Today, public opinion is not against child labour and says that child
labour exists because poverty exists'. 'This opinion should be changed'.