Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is it wrong for poor children to work?

Every single child in the world, regardless of caste, class, nationality or gender, has the right to be healthy, to develop through education and other ways, to have time for rest and leisure. If work prevents any child from enjoying any of these rights, then it is wrong.

There cannot be different rights for poor children and rich children, can there?

2. If education is compulsory, how come so many children don't go to school?

In the Indian Constitution, providing free and compulsory education is one of the Directive Principles, not an Article. This means that the government "should" do it, but doesn't "have to" do it. So around 56 million children are at present not in school. Many people are now hoping that the government will amend the constitution to make free and compulsory elementary education a fundamental right.

3. Isn't working better than going to a boring school?

Certainly most children would hate to spend all day in a boring school, where the teachers teach badly and what you learn has nothing to do with real life.

So schools have to get better!

But if a child begins to work full time, there is no chance to pick up the skills to do anything better than what he or she is doing, like serving tea in a restaurant or picking plastic from garbage or cutting crops. If they go to school, and the school is a good one, they will learn things that will help them to lead more fulfilling lives.

4. Is there a law against child labour?

Yes, there is a law in India, called the Child Labour Regulation and Prohibition Act, that says that children below 14 years should not be employed in certain hazardous industries. The problem is that employers find it profitable to employ children, since they work for little money. So they manage to get around these laws, which are not strict enough.

5. Won't the children's families suffer if they stop earning?

Most working children are in agricultural labour, where their earnings are so small that they are not really significant for the family. The children are often working because they find school uninteresting and do not see the point of going to school.

Besides, every child out of labour means one more job available for adults.

6. Are people poor because they are lazy?

As you must have seen in the world around you, there are thousands of people who work very hard and yet are very poor. Poverty has to do with how society has developed, with some people having more wealth than they need, and others having nothing at all. Our society has developed in a very lopsided way, and that is why people are poor.

7. Can my parents force me to work?

If the work is particularly tedious in nature and hard and has long hours and you do not have a chance to either go to school or to play, you have a right to say no. But if your basic rights are fulfilled then work can help you to develop better, to learn more about yourself and the world.

8. Is it right for parents to beat their children?

Your rights include the right to be protected from harsh punishment. If the beating is very hard, causes injury or damage to your body, it is not right for parents to beat their children.