Literature Commission inaugurates Saudi Pavilion at Muscat Book Fair    Saudi Minister of Culture holds talks with his Costa Rican counterpart in Jeddah    Saudi Arabia cracks down on fraudulent Hajj campaigns, urges pilgrims to use official channels    Nammos Amala Resort to open soon with Saudi-Greek designs    Saudi Arabia completes 674 Vision 2030 initiatives, achieves 93% of KPIs as ninth-year milestone marked    MHRSD: 80% of recruitment offices are non-compliant with regulations    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    At least 50 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza    Teenage girl killed in French school stabbing attack    Trump claims meeting with China after Beijing denies any trade negotiations    Police fatally shoot man at Toronto's international airport    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Jennifer Lopez dazzles in Jeddah with a Formula 1 performance    Saudi Arabia open to expanded 64-team World Cup in 2034, says sports minister    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Super Max Verstappen scorches to pole with record lap in Jeddah    Film Commission launches 'Cinema' initiative to enhance content    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



India says number of child workers declined 60 percent in 10 years
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 16 - 03 - 2016

The number of child laborers aged 14 or below in India dropped to 4.5 million in 2011 from 12.6 million a decade before, said the country's labor minister, urging lawmakers to approve planned changes to existing legislation to curb the problem.
Labor Minister Bandaru Dattatreya told India's lower house of Parliament on Monday the government will amend a three-decade-old child labor prohibition law, and called on both houses of parliament to support its passage.
"I gave a notice in the winter session, but it could not be passed. This session too, it could not be passed though I gave notice," Dattatreya said.
The amendments to the current law are scheduled to be presented during this session of Parliament which ends on May 8, with a recess between March 21 and April 19.
Dattatreya's figure, which is from India's 2011 census, shows the number of child workers dropped by 64 percent over 10 years.
A February 2015 report by the International Labor Organization puts the number of child workers in India aged between five and 17 at 5.7 million, out of 168 million globally.
More than half work in agriculture, toiling in cotton, sugarcane and rice paddy fields where they are often exposed to pesticides and risk injury from sharp tools and heavy equipment.
At least a quarter work in manufacturing — often confined to poorly lit, barely ventilated rooms, embroidering clothes, weaving carpets, making matchsticks or rolling beedi cigarettes. Many help their parents in brick kilns or mines.
Children also work in the services sector — in shops, restaurants and hotels, washing dishes and chopping vegetables, or in middle-class homes, cleaning and looking after younger children.
The government wants to change the current law, which bans children under 14 from working in only 18 hazardous occupations and 65 processes, such as mining, gem cutting and cement manufacturing.
If passed by Parliament, the changes will outlaw child labor below 14 in all sectors and include a new category for those aged between 15 and 18 years old.
The amendments also double jail time for employing children to a maximum of two years and increase the fine up to 50,000 rupees ($745) from 20,000 rupees ($300) currently.
But child rights activists, including Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, have voiced concern over two exceptions.
Children who help their family in family businesses can work outside school hours and holidays, and those in entertainment or sports can work provided it does not affect their education.
Also, children aged 15 to 18 will be barred from working in only three industries - mines, inflammable substances and hazardous processes.
Satyarthi, whose charity Bachpan Bachao Andolan is credited with rescuing more than 80,000 enslaved children, said the exemptions are "regressive" and wants a total ban on all forms of child labor.


Clic here to read the story from its source.