Union Minister of State for Women & Child Development Renuka Chowdhury wants the ban on child labour eased to allow them to pick up traditional crafts and skills such as carpet-weaving within the family structure. She even says international laws banning purchase of the products of child labour are insensitive to regional issues and that India has signed on to them without thinking through the issues properly.

Chowdhury will soon be forwarding a proposal on this to Union Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes. The proposal will suggest a “learning while earning” policy, through which she hopes the Labour Ministry will be able to make a case for India’s unique situation and highlight our policy in international fora without being afraid of saying what is right for us.

Said Chowdhury: “Traditionally, our arts and crafts have been passed down from parent to child at the workplace, whether at home or outside. But today, a parent is fined Rs 20,000 if the child is found working at the loom or weaving a carpet. Why can’t a child learn a skill within the family structure that can equip him for the future to earn a livelihood? We are not talking of hazardous industries and exploitative employers here, but surely a master textile weaver or silversmith can teach the child the skill.”

The immediate benefit, she said, would be that “there will not be so many cases of runaway children who get exploited in cities and towns as cheap and quick labour.”

She is of the opinion that child labour cannot be viewed entirely as a labour problem, and that policy-makers should look at child labour holistically “without having accusatory glances thrown at us.”

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