CARPET
CHILD UNDER BODAGE
JHARKHAND
– THE CATCHMENT
AREA FOR CARPET CHILD LABOURERS
Much
has been said about child labour in carpet belts like Mirzapur, Gopiganj and
Bhadohi districts in Utter Pradesh in India. The fact remains that the
majorities of the children working in the carpet sector, be it in U.P or in
Jharkhand are migrant child labourers from Palamau and Garwa district in
Jharkhand. These districts are the prime catchment area for child labours
especially Garhwa. On an average in any village you visit in the district
there will not be one single home where child labour does not exist.
The
nimble finger theory has been totally discreated by experts yet villagers
still believe that it is tender young hand that make the finest quality
carpets. Hence child labour is still prevalent in the carpet weaving sector.
CARPET
WEAVING CHILDREN
Garwah
district in Jharkhand is steeped in the problem of child labour in the
carpet weaving industry. This region supplies huge number of child labour to
the neighbouring state of UP. There are two kinds of child labour in this
sector, child labour involving the forced migration of children to UP where
they stay and work with their masters, and child labour whereby children
work in the looms in their own villages. Starting very early in their
childhood, these children lead a life of
bondage and slavery. Parents pledge their children for petty loans of Rs.300
- 500 to the middlemen and the children have to slog at the looms from early
morning to the night hours with very little or no food for their
subsistence. The children are
packed off to dark, dingy prison under the guise of loom houses, where they
will live and work. Some lucky ones do manage to escape but their freedom is
unusally temporary. Most parents donot welcome the return of prodigal son if
he is empty handed and he is soon forced back to work. For what should be
the happiest and most formative years of their lives. These poor children
get to slog their guts out at a loom for 16 hours a day to scarcely enough
rice and water to keep them alive. They never visit outside world. They
rarely even get to see the sunlight in their home and families are all part
of some dim and decent past. Most of the time the parents are equally unsure
about their children existence.
Variety
of child labour in carpet industry
Child
labour in the carpet industry can be classified in the following sectors
Child
labours involved in house hold carpet looms in their own or neighbouring
village.
Child
labourers working at the looms of their parents in their own residence
Migratory
child labourers who go to neighouring state of U.P to live and work with
commercial master weavers.
Although
carpet weaving employment exist in their own villages, the wage rates in
Garwa, Jharkhand are much lower than in neighbouring U.P. Thus migrating to
find employment seems a very logical option. However, the work is so dire
that many children run away before their advance contract has been fulfilled
so they never actually earn a regular wage. The main factor responsible for
the migration of child are the advance payment systems and the active role
of the agents or middle man.
What
compensation do they receive for their hardship?
As
most children are under apprenticeship when they begin working their
services are free for the first 6 months to one year. If they are lucky
enough to earn on a price rate basis then they get an average of Rs. 15 a
day. The truth is that most children or their families rarely receive any
money outside of the original advance payment. Loom owners and agents have
endless capacity to cheat the innocent. Instead the children can accept
severe eye deficiencies, respiratory diseases and virtual disablement from
enforced bad posture [providing their life that long]. By early middle age
many of them are facing pre mature retirement, unable to work anymore and so
comes the turn of their off spring to complete this never ending vicious
circle. With much international focus being given to this appealing
situation now is the time for real action. It is time to make a positive
contribution to improve these poor lives.
They
are deprived of basic education as the schools in the region are defunct and
because the rigid timings don't give them scope to study.
THE
SLOW KILLER
Occupational
health hazards such as asthma, and lung diseases- caused by dust and fibers
– tuberclosis, skin allergies, poisoning by dyes, scabies, back pain, hip
pain, limb pain and severe strain in the fingers are common. Cuts and
injuries while using sharp knives and tools are a regular occurrence while
cutting the knots.
There
is no system of providing medical treatment or compensation for sick
children nor are any first aid facilities available. However they are
frequently needed- home remedies and self medication have to suffix. Most
children suffer in silence without treatment. Even deaths of many working
children due to occupational diseases are common and nobody accepts
liability.
Carpet
making is a slow and silent killer that is continuing to cause havoc to the
lives of little children who are without any hope nor any future.
A.I.D’S
CONTRIBUTION
Special
schools for carpet children
The
schools have been set up in the villages where the children work. In
addition, schools are being run
in places where children are working.
The
schools are equipped and teaching services provided, through the project.
Currently there are 80 schools operating and these serve approximately 2500
children(bonded and carpet working)
Management
and operation
The
project is operated and managed by
AID
Jharkhand(Garwa
Chapter). It works with and is
operated by the parent and local village communities and also through Bal
Mukthi Vahini and Kalin Mazdor (being a form of employee unions set up by
AID Jharkhand).
The
programme also includes the training of personnel e.g. community leaders, to
both provide and manage the services.
Activities
The
school's syllabus seeks to provide basic education in literacy and
numerically for children from ages 5 to 14 years. They attend classes each
working day for four hours. In addition the schools provide for sports and
recreational activity.
programme
·
Nutrition and diet
·
Health
·
Financial advice
·
Parental education in family support
·
Vocational training for parents and children
Child unions
·
Child courts of justice
·
Vocational skill training
·
Cooperatives for alternative employment
·
Civil society awareness
·
Teacher training
Good
progress has been made during the year and some of the highlights are :
·
598 carpet children have enrolled in the available government primary
schools
·
11 government schools which were defunct have been revived as a
result of continuous campaigning
·
Grass roots
and state level campaign on the issue of child carpet labour has led
to the setting up of the commission by the state government to look into all
aspects of child labour.
·
37% of the children studying in the primary creative education center
have completed and are now studying in higher education.
55% are still pursuing primary education.
·
489 parents of the carpet children are linked up with employment
programme of the government.
·
32 thrift and credit women forums have been created.
·
192 health camps for
carpet children were conducted during the year. Also community health check
ups for 4728 members in 32 villages took place.
·
5800 women were attended the nutrition demonstrations programme on
healthy cooking.
A.I.D
VISION –ELIMINATION OF CARPET CHILD LABOUR
·
To
provide technical education for the carpet weaving children through AID
community college – Meral- Garhwa.
·
To
enable existing carpet weaving children to become literate, educated, ever
bodied, and skill full adult family members.
·
To
prevent future generation children from participating in carpet weaving or
hazardous employment
·
To
motivate and activate parents into assuming fuller responsibility over their
children’s holistic development emphasising in educational aspects and not
merely earning potential.
·
To
find an adequately paid source of employment for parents- or alternative
employment for children- that allows children to complete their basic
education.
·
To
actively campaign and lobby at varying levels to make the government fulfil
its constitutional obligations- providing free and compulsory primary
education for children and employment avenues for parents.
·
To
secure the rightful participation of carpet producers, agents, traders,
exporters, importers, government and other interest groups, both national
and international, in abolishing the abuse and suffering of innocent
children working within the carpet – making industry.
AID
has developed a package plan working towards based on this agenda. It is
possible to fulfil all of these objectives, but only with your constant
support and motivation
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