The Hindu : National : Migration of children increasing

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Thursday, Jun 09, 2005

National

National

Migration of children increasing

Staff Correspondent

There is no law that directly covers the labour aspects of child domestic workers "Concerns are manifold including psychological and physiological abuse and sexual violation"

NEW DELHI: An increasing number of children are migrating or being trafficked to major cities to be employed as domestic workers in middle and upper class households.

They often face exploitation of various kinds and there is no law that directly covers the labour aspects of child domestic workers.

"The concerns with child domestics are manifold including psychological and physiological abuse and sexual violation as well as restraining the opportunities to learn and develop," Brian Heidel, Programme Director of Save the Children, a U.K.-based voluntary organisation, told mediapersons here on Wednesday.

Amendments recommended

Basing his assessment on a study conducted by Save the Children along with other local non-governmental organisations in Jharkhand, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Delhi, Mr. Heidel sought a legislation abolishing domestic labour by those below 18 years that would also make employing them a punishable act.

He recommended amendments to the Child Labour Act to bring it within the ambit of hazardous forms of labour.

Giving details of the study, aimed at ascertaining the reasons behind child migration, D. Lakshmi Rani said that child domestic workers here had mainly come from tribal areas of Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal where the per capita income was also low.

As more girls are available now for employment there is a greater demand for them, and greater is the risk of sexual exploitation.

While 73 per cent of the samples studied in New Delhi — the largest employer — stated that the income of the family was not enough for sustenance, the associated reason is the spread of social networks which provide access to work to these poor families.

Most respondents knew persons, either from the same village or nearby areas, who were involved in this work. And, finally there was a mushrooming growth of unauthorised placement agencies that supplied domestic helpers.

Statutory body

Demanding the establishment of a statutory body to monitor the working of the placement agencies, and the condition of the workers, Save the Children said the body could also act as an interface between the workers and the employers or the agency.

"Ill-treatment"

"Most of them complained that the agency which employed them did not help whenever they raised issues of ill-treatment and abuse," Ms. Lakshmi Rani said.

The study was conducted in those districts where the enrolment in schools was low and the drop-out rate high.

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