'Small hands can handle a pen better'

Disturbing!!!

I was watching this serial on Sony Channel called 'Crime Patrol'. It got me thinking on certain social issues that exist but which tend to get pushed under the carpet because we don't want have the time to ponder on these or voice an opinion on the same. Our conscience starts troubling us only after we watch these issues being reported via media sources. But that feeling is momentary as well. The daily rigmarole of life in general catches on...

For some time now, I have been observing people who visit the hospital where my brother in law is admitted right now. There's nothing much to do while you are sitting at the waiting room, apart from watching people come and go. This particular sight made me ashamed of myself as I am only writing about it. There was this well dressed affluent woman who walked in with her baby. Right behind her was this kid who must have been around twelve or thirteen. She was pushing the child' s cradle and carrying the baby bag. Ms Richie Rich plonked on the sofa. After that, she went on ordering the child to pick stuff from the cradle, the bag and so on. I then realized that the kid was the househelp. Poor girl was a kid herself but responsible for another. I had a good mind to ask the woman if she was aware of the labour laws that existed in the country. But from her airs, I realized that she'd just turn around and tell me to mind my own business.  I am surprised that they are not even ashamed or scared to flaunt such underage househelp in public places or employ them at their homes.  Many a times, when we go to restaurants, these sights are common. Madam and Sir will be having their meals with family and friends. This poor under aged kid will be running behind their brats. If they can't take care of their own children, I wonder as to why they create them in the first place! If you ask these affluent folks, they'd probably cite that they are doing poor families a favour by employing their children for housework! But dude, can you at least check their age before employing them? I should say that my 'not so' educated mom has better sense than all of you, the highly educated folks. Mom refused to let our current househelp's daughter work at our home as she was underage.  I distantly know this couple who adopted a child after many failed attempts to have one. The lady who's a homemaker has employed a girl below 18 to look after the kid. She makes it a point to ensure that the girl takes a bath before touching the child. What a hypocrite! Did she go through so much thinking when she employed the girl despite her young age, I wonder.


It is our fault as well. We, the middle class,the thinking population are so engrossed in our own woes related to job, paying all those taxes, travelling in crowded busus and trains for work,making investments for the future, dealing with stress and other health related issues, there's hardly any time to think of any other social strata who's needy and require help. We consider our responsibility as complete when we provide some funds to charity and let them do the work. Issues related to unorganized labor are the least of our concerns.

On another note, my American friend wanted to know as to why there was so much poverty in the country. How do I explain the socio economic set up of the country to someone who has never lacked money, has had a luxurious lifestyle and education? Her father is a wealthy businessman, mom had retired as a VP and husband heads a business unit. I asked a counter question on why some ethnic groups fared lower as compared to the rest of the American population. I assumed that it would help her identify with the poverty situation better. As was expected, she had no clue. Well.... I told her that that in some ways, our thought processes were similar. We get engrossed in our own lives and didn't find the time to think about the rest of the world!

I understand that the main reason for child labour is rooted in poverty. But there has to be better ways to deal with it rather than sending little kids to work. I don't even want to get into writing about forced labour. I guess that more kids are brought into this world by certain groups since it translates into having more hands for manual labour. Seasonal agriculture results in migrant population which then settles in urban areas where they are considered as cheap labour. This in turn leads to slums, crimes and other related problems which follows unplanned urbanization. Our policies need to generate more jobs in the rural areas so that this influx can be curtailed. Agricultural policies need to be pro farmers. I can go on and on...

I wish I had a magic wand to fix all this. But I don't. I do really wish that we had more stringent laws to monitor cases of child labour. Why is it that when it comes to providing grants, funds and rations, pensions etc, there's big time scrutiny from all sources involved but when it comes to giving protection, care, education and other basic needs for the needy, there's not much that is done?

The television was airing the details of NGOs to whom such cases of child labour can be reported. That's a good way of creating awareness. It's atleast known now as to how such kids could get help. A big Kudos to all the legal NGOs in our country. They are making a difference to so many lives.

Hoping to see myself enlightened and undertaking some social responsibilities soon. Hey!! Am not perfect...trying to fix me!!!

'Child labor and poverty are inevitably bound together and if you continue to use the labor of children as the treatment for the social disease of poverty, you will have both poverty and child labor to the end of time'.
qGrace Abbott