Even with strict laws in place, child labour endures, trapping children in exploitation and lost childhoods
Child labour does not merely interrupt a childhood. In many cases, it ends one — Miguel Das, Child Rights Expert and Founder, UTSAH Child Right Organisation
In India, children are often described as blessings and symbols of innocence. Yet, for thousands of children across the country, childhood is replaced by long working hours, unsafe conditions, and responsibilities far beyond their age. Instead of attending school, playing with friends, and growing up in a secure environment, many children are forced into labour due to poverty, exploitation, neglect, or circumstances beyond their control.
Despite legal safeguards and child protection mechanisms, child labour continues to persist in both visible and hidden forms. From agricultural fields and factories to private homes and roadside establishments, children are engaged in work that deprives them of education, safety, and dignity. Experts and child welfare officials believe that while laws exist to protect children, the challenge lies in effective implementation and rehabilitation.
In rural areas, many children are involved in agricultural labour, often working alongside their families. Long hours under harsh weather conditions, exposure to pesticides, and the use of unsafe machinery can seriously affect their physical health.
Domestic labour remains another widespread but largely hidden form of child labour. Many children, particularly girls, are employed in households where they cook, clean, and care for younger children for little or no pay. Since this work takes place behind closed doors, children often become vulnerable to neglect, exploitation, and abuse, while remaining isolated from education and social interaction.
Children are also found working in manufacturing units, brick kilns, garment workshops, carpet weaving centres, and factories. These environments often involve hazardous tools, heavy physical labour, and unsafe working conditions that can result in injuries and long-term health complications. The streets present another harsh reality. Many children survive by working as rag-pickers, beggars, helpers at tea stalls, roadside eateries, and small businesses. These children face daily risks of hunger, exploitation, violence, and neglect, while struggling to meet their basic needs.
Kamrup (M), despite growing awareness and child protection mechanisms, remains vulnerable to the problem.
According to reports from the Child Helpline (1098) and the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), Kamrup (M), Assam, 38 child labour-related cases were reported between January and June 2026. The monthly breakdown shows 2 cases in January, 3 in February, 1 in March, 10 in April, 5 in May, and 17 in June. During this period, 28 children were rescued/recovered from these cases.
The cases in which children were not rescued were either found to be based on incorrect information or involved individuals who were above 18 years of age and therefore did not fall under the category of child labour.
The continued reporting of such cases highlights the gap between legal protections and ground-level realities, prompting concerns among child welfare agencies about the need for stronger community vigilance and timely reporting.
Speaking to GPlus, Sidarth Shashi Sharma, Project Coordinator of Child Helpline at the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), Kamrup (M), Assam, highlighted the prevalence of child labour in Guwahati.
He cited a recent rescue operation on June 12, the District Level Task Force (DLTF), Kamrup(M), rescued a total of eight childresn engaged in labour during seperate operations conducted under the jurisdictions of Dispur and Noonmati Police Station. Another incident where more than 15 children were rescued from the Rupnagar road connecting Birubari and the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital area.
According to Sharma, Kamrup(M) has more than 20 Child Welfare Committees (CWC), working to address issues related to child protection. However, he noted that child labour cases remain common in Guwahati, even though many residents are unaware of their scale.
“Even today, child labour cases are regularly reported in Guwahati. Many people are unaware of how widespread the issue actually is,” Sharma said. He also mentioned that if a child is attending school and, in his free time, voluntarily takes up some work on his own will with the intention of earning money, it does not fall under child labour.
He explained that rescue operations are conducted by District Level Task Forces once a complaint or case is officially registered. However, the process is often delayed because designated authorities complete several legal and administrative formalities before children can be removed from exploitative situations.
“By the time procedures are completed, children are sometimes shifted to other locations, making rescue operations much more difficult,” he added. Sharma also pointed out that limited manpower remains a major challenge for child protection agencies, restricting their ability to respond quickly to every case.
For rescued children, rehabilitation and shelter remain critical. Boys are accommodated at the Government Children’s Home in Fatasil, while girls are housed at the Government Children’s Home in Jalukbari.
Several non-governmental organisations, including Child Friendly Guwahati and the Assam Centre for Rural Development, also play an important role in providing protection, care, and support to rescued children.
After understanding the ground realities and institutional response, child rights experts emphasise that child labour cannot be attributed to a single cause. Instead, it emerges from a combination of social, economic, and systemic factors.
Child rights expert Miguel Das believes that child labour cannot be attributed to a single cause. Instead, it emerges from a combination of social, economic, and systemic factors.
“Poverty is one of the most common reasons children enter the workforce. Families struggling with illness, disability, unemployment, or a large number of dependents often see children becoming earners at a very young age,” Das said.
According to Das, many children also find themselves working because they have lost parental support altogether.
“Some children run away from abusive homes and end up working simply to survive. Others are denied education because of gender discrimination and are pushed into labour instead,” he explained.
Educational barriers also contribute to the problem. In some families, generations have grown up without formal schooling, making education seem inaccessible or irrelevant. Additionally, children may drop out because schools fail to provide supportive environments, drive children away from classrooms and into the workforce.
More alarming are cases involving coercion and trafficking. Some children are forced into bonded labour to repay debts incurred by family members. Others are trafficked, kidnapped, or manipulated into exploitative work arrangements with little chance of escape.
While poverty and vulnerability push children into labour, Das emphasised that there is also a demand side to the issue.
“Employers often want workers who can be paid less, made to work longer hours, and are less likely to question exploitation. Children become easy targets because they lack bargaining power and awareness of their rights,” Das said.
Certain industries actively prefer child workers. Das pointed to sectors such as the jewellery trade, where employers often seek children because of their small hands, which are considered suitable for intricate work. Such demand creates incentives that sustain child labour despite legal prohibitions.
Beyond the factors that lead children into work, the long-term consequences of child labour can be devastating and often continue well into adulthood.
“Children need education, recreation, nutrition, emotional support, and safe social environments to develop into healthy adults. Child labour deprives them of all these essentials,” Das said.
Domestic workers often experience isolation, poor nutrition, and denial of schooling, while children working in hazardous industries face constant risks of injury, illness, and even death.
The psychological impact can be equally severe. Children who experience physical violence, emotional abuse, or sexual exploitation during their working years often carry deep trauma into adulthood. Such experiences can affect self-esteem, relationships, mental health, and overall quality of life long after the labour itself has ended.
Given these far-reaching impacts, India has established a strong legal framework to combat child labour, particularly through the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act.
However, Das argues that the primary challenge lies not in the legislation itself but in its enforcement.
“The laws are largely adequate. The problem is that conviction rates remain extremely low. When violations do not result in punishment, the law loses its deterrent effect,” he observed.
He also pointed out that awareness measures mandated by law, such as displaying information about child labour offences and penalties at railway stations, bus stands, and ports, are often poorly implemented or ignored altogether.
Concerns also remain regarding rehabilitation efforts.
“Many rescued children are unable to access the rehabilitation support and welfare funds intended for them. Without sustained assistance, some eventually return to labour because of economic necessity,” Das said.
Similarly, sponsorship programmes under the Juvenile Justice Act, which are intended to support vulnerable families and prevent children from entering the workforce, have not reached many of the people who need them most.
According to Das, the legal and institutional mechanisms already exist. The challenge lies in ensuring that they function effectively and reach children before exploitation takes root.
Child labour is more than a violation of law; it is a denial of childhood itself. While poverty, social inequality, and family circumstances continue to push children into labour, the persistence of demand, weak enforcement, and gaps in rehabilitation allow the problem to endure. As rescue operations continue and awareness grows, an important question remains: can society move beyond acknowledging child labour as a problem and ensure that every child is given the chance to learn, play, and grow in dignity rather than work for survival?
