By Trish Corcoran
Alpa Vora, director of the children's rights organisation YUVA (Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action) recently toured Australia with Community Aid Abroad. YUVA is based in Bombay and is "a group that works on issues of organisation with women, men and children who contribute to the city's economy but really get nothing in return, especially as far as their education, shelter, food and other basic needs go".
India has a total child labour force of 60 million. In 1992, YUVA was involved in initiating the Campaign Against Child Labour. Vora reported, "We set it up with about 60 organisations. Now we have about 600 groups, including trade unions, women's organisations and child rights groups, that are working in the campaign.
"The coalition is trying to bring about larger changes, like trying to advocate better legislation. We've had a critique of the existing laws and are working very closely with the Ministry of Labour in asking for some specific measures.
"Also, we are trying to see that social workers and trade unionists have powers of inspection. Today only the Labour Department has, and sometimes the Labour Department is hand-in-glove with the employers."
When asked what the Australian government could be doing, Vora had some reservations about the use of boycotts. "Given that there are only about 8% of children in the export sector, the question of boycotts seem at one level a very meaningful solution, but I feel it's also fraught with dangers.
"There is reason to expect that the children who are moved from these occupations are moved to newer depths of poverty. For instance, there is evidence in Bangladesh of children who have done carpet weaving or worked in garment factories who have moved to prostitution or farm labour.
"Help needs to come directly to non-government organisations in setting up rehabilitation infrastructure."
Vora explained that when children get out of exploitative situations, they need shelter, education, health care and food.
Community Aid Abroad has funded YUVA since 1985. Its 30th annual Walk Against Want, to be held on March 24, has the theme Child Labour. To register for the walk, ring 1800 034 034.