New child labour law under fire in India
Proposal would allow children under 14 years old to work in limited areas.
The Indian government approved a proposal on Wednesday that would prohibit the employment of children under the age of 14, with the exception of work in non-hazardous “family enterprises” and the entertainment industry. The amendment, however, was widely condemned by activists who didn’t think it went far enough in protecting children from labour exploitation. In a 2011 census, 4.35 million children under 14 were working.
If parliament approves the proposed amendment, minors would be able to work after school hours and during holidays within the stated restrictions. The law would also double fines and jail time for people who employ children beyond those bounds.
Following the news, many took to Twitter to criticise the Indian government’s effort in ending child labour.