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29th October 2007- Sheikh Mohammad (name changed), a 14 year was brought by his Maternal Uncle to Shahpur Jaat, New Delhi. Little that he knew at that time that his maternal uncle will just leave him in strange place with strange people stuffed in different rooms working tediously in dark dingy stinky rooms. Now it has been 1 year since that first day of his work, still he is been recognised as a trainee and given Rs. 500 per month. Sheikh Mohammad does not get this little money in hand, further this is not enough for him to fulfil his necessities so question of fulfilling the family demands is just out of his limit.
Today, 14 bonded child labourers were rescued from Shahpur Jaat area, New Delhi by the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Childhood Movement) with the help of the Police. All the children rescued hail from West Bengal and most of them were below 14 years of age the youngest of them being an 8-years-old. The four storey building had rooms crammed with children and adults working on the embroidery tables, 4-5 children were working on one table. The air was pungent with the stench of the open toilets and overflowing with filth. Children used to work, eat and sleep in the same room, their belongings were stacked on the upper shelf. Contractor argued that children are giving delicious food and all the facilities but the dustbin full of rice and toilets filled with filth and dirt were saying a different story. One of the boys was covered with pox marks and open wound on his face and limbs, still he was found working on the embroidery table. He had not received any medical treatment.
On receiving information by the BBA, the police swung into action and came to the recognised area; because of their instant action this rescue operation was a success.
Bhuwan Ribhu, National Secretary of BBA said that “After exposure of GAP “Indian 'slave' children found making low-cost clothes destined for Gap” October 28, 2007, The Observer” still children were found working in the same area in zari industry this incident should not remain a media hype but now it is important to take action. These children were trafficked and were literally sold by middle man. GAP has shown the intent by international company should work against child labour and it is heartening to see that the Indian law enforcement is following suit. Such incidents show that holistic perspective is required in eliminating child labour form co-operations, civil society the government and law enforcement. We firmly believe that co-operates and the business houses should continue to work with India and cancellation of the orders is not a solution. Instead of cancelling the order the Business Houses should make sure that where ever their production is going on the manufacturing units shouldn’t employ children and also regularly monitor their contractors and sub-contractors to assure that they are not violating any labour law”.
Slave Kids Driving Economic Growth
“10-year-old unpaid workers who help clothing giants make billions.” “GAP slave kids is a gloomy reality of Indian Growing economy.” “Indian 'slave' children found making low-cost clothes destined for Gap” October 28, 2007, The Observer. These are some of the news headlines flashing across the world today. It is disheartening to just imagine that an embroidered top that you are buying for your child is made by another 10-year-old who whose life was trade into slavery for a mere Rs. 1000 ($ 25).
Western Brands and Designers have been looking for cheap labour in India but in the profit oriented business they forget to monitor that in glimmering, the future of thousands of children is diminishing. The question is now do we want this to continue?
Welcoming the move by GAP Inc. whose sweatshops in New Delhi was cited as involving child labour and their subsequent efforts to withdraw all products made by child labourers, Kailash Satyarthi, Chairperson, Global March Against Child Labour said, “We are glad that after so many years the situation has changed a little as the international brand like GAP have admitted that there is child labour involved in their supply chain, and we also appreciate their immediate response to this situation. But, we now need a stronger step towards this issue and initiate a monitoring network like Rugmark that ensures that the products are free from child labour.”
Bachpan Bachao Andolan- BBA (Save The Childhood Movement) has been targeting the embroidery industry for the 5 years, since its first raid in the sector on 3 September 2003 in Okhla, New Delhi from where 7 enslaved children were rescued and then rehabilitated. Prof. R. S. Chaurasia, Chairperson of BBA recalling that raid said. “It was one of the most difficult raid that we conducted in 2003, it was most dangerous one as no one was ready to believe that children were involved in zari industry. The lack of political will toward elimination of child labour is demoralizing for all the NGO’s and Civil Society who are working against child labour. He said that we have made complaints to various SDMs and labour minister to conduct raids in North West Delhi and South Delhi to conduct raids but our complaints are now just piece of paper for the officials. According to our investigations more than 1000 bonded child labourers would be rescued from these areas.” In support of his above statement he coded one incident that they made complaint to conduct a raid to the SDM, South Delhi on 10th July 2007 but till date they haven’t got permission to do so.
There are about 1 lakh child labourers in embroidery and zari sweatshops in Delhi and nearly the same numbers in Mumbai and elsewhere. Rough estimates show that there might be 5000-7000 embroidery units functioning in Delhi, with each unit employing around 25-30 children. Most of the children working in embroidery and zari workshops are trafficked from Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. The children, who had been rescued through our raid and rescue operations, reported that they got as little as Rs. 20-30 a month and worked for more than 12-14 hours in small crowded rooms with poor lighting and ventilation. As a result many had eye problems/infections and skin allergies.
One of the solutions for this must be in partnerships and collaborations in evolving innovative mechanisms of ethical trade including monitoring and labelling of products. Corporations for long have been involved in the business of Corporate Social Responsibility by building schools, clinics, organising health camps, etc. While this kind of approach have been effective in providing services to the disadvantaged communities, the need of the hour is for the businesses to get their supply and manufacturing chains in order, moving beyond mere philanthropy to ethical trading practices. The consumers of the 21st century is more evolved and knowledgeable and needs to know that the product does not involve tiny hands, is not made from slaughtering a child’s future, by a child tattooed like a cow, so that his master can recognise him in the flock.
Time is long gone for the government to choose to deny the existence of child labour, trafficked and bonded labour in the country. Instead of becoming defensive about trade tariffs and sanctions, the concerned departments should act to active the law enforcement machinery and enforce the Bonded Labour Act, Child Labour Act, cooperate with NGOs and trade unions promoting victims’ assistance.
In News
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2200573,00.html
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/2810_gap_slave_kids.shtml
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/newstex/AFX-0013-20551258.htm
http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,3604,1215501,00.html
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2007-10-29-gap-child-labor_N.htm
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040513/news_1b13gap.html
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hJOl-8hfjEoQDP8eMXPISpGuHveg
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1677385,00.html?imw=Y
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=66775
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