DEPRIVED CHILDHOOD

Sixty three years of Independence has changed the face of the country in myriad ways. The lifestyle of the children of our country has entirely changed, but at the same time we have a section of society where despite of laws in India, rights of a child are not safeguarded.

“Child trafficking which makes path for child labour and much more, flourishes and is the biggest peril.”

It can be defined as recruiting children and then transferring or transporting them for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation of a child in several forms is practiced; it can be forced labour, slavery, servitude, sexual abuse, forced begging and removal of organs. “Child trafficking is a crime”.

It’s a severe problem in India and very common indeed. But government with it’s futile efforts has not been able to curb out of this. This practice mars the Rights of children to breathe free, to live according to their own will, their liberty is wrenched away. They are deprived of their most basic right viz. right to education and right to health care. These children lack everything which ensures their healthy growth and holistic development.

These are many reasons which lead to the path of child trafficking, and poverty being the fundamental cause. Economically deprived families lack education, employment and other opportunities as well. People who employ these children get cheap labour and exploit these kids and take extra work from them.

It’s a sorry state that our government has not succeeded to protect children against child trafficking. According to report by The National Human Right Commission of India nearly 40,000 children are abducted every year….poor people send their children for such work in exchange of wages…. their children hardly go to school and generally don’t have any other work to do so the parents consider that its better to utilize them as a bread-earner for the impoverished family.

It’s worth praising that number of NGOs in our country is striving hard to Fight against this menace of child trafficking. When they find such children, they provide them basic education, give them some vocational training so that they may stand on their own feet and support their family. Until and unless government get awakened and step forward to check this adversity and root out the elementary cause ‘Poverty’ things may not change. Even citizens should take care from their part by not employing kids and complaining to the authorities if in their concern any such act is practiced. The target which has to be achieved is difficult but not an impossible one; so let’s hope that the constant efforts may help us see the light at the far end of dark tunnel.

Richa Tiwari

B.A in Media Studies

University of Allahabad