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

Chapter 9
Recommendations
1. Because the number of economically exploited child labourers has increased and the
working conditions are poor in the export-oriented garment and gem polishing industry in
India, partly due to an increased international demand for products like garments and gem
stones, importers should demand from Indian exporters and manufacturers of these products
not to employ children and to comply with certain minimum labour conditions like a 'need
based' wage, the right to collective bargaining, an 8-hour working day, health protection,
social security, etc. Importers should take their responsibility and demand an improvement in
the general labour conditions along the subcontracted chain, and support programmes to train
unemployed adults and parents in the skills of the industry so that they can replace the
children.
As far as the garment industry in Tirupur is concerned, the industry is open for dialogue, and
importers, but also action groups, NGOs, labour unions etc. should be made aware of this.
Export Promotion Councils in India and Business Promotion Councils in Europe, European
retail companies and chain-stores and their suppliers, should be brought together to open a
discussion on the subject of child labour and bad working conditions, and to arrive at
solutions and ways to implement these solutions.
The Fair Trade Charter for Garments (see appendix 4), launched by the Clean Clothes
Campaign in the Netherlands and by other similar organizations in other European countries,
could be an important instrument to improve labour and living conditions of workers in the
export-oriented garment industry in India. The Clean Clothes Campaign supports with this
instrument activities of Indian labour unions and NGOs which also aim to improve basic
labour conditions of workers in the garment industry. Collaboration is needed for the
implementation of the Charter.
2. Although child labour is prevalent among the poorest sections of Indian society, it is not only
caused by economic compulsions but also because of lack of awareness of the negative
aspects of child labour and, hence, of the positive role that education can play in improving
the quality of living conditions of people. Lack of adequate and attractive primary education
facilities is also a main contributing factor to child labour. Therefore, efforts have to be made
on this front, especially among the poorest sections of society.
National and international organizations should continue to pressurize the Government of
India to make primary education free, compulsory, meaningful, attractive and joyful. They
can also play an important role in awareness-raising, e.g. by designing, implementing,
supporting and communicating school-related projects which have been set up and in which
the local community, parents and teachers are actively involved.
3. It has been found that migration from the rural areas, due to the local lack of job
opportunities for the parents, breaks the school career of children, who are never enroled
again but sent to work in places where the job opportunities are better. It is therefore
recommended to make more detailed studies on the problem of child labour related to