Caged birds

he employment of children for work at an age when they should be playing and learning is termed as ‘child labor’.

Child labor is a common concept all over the world with Africa and Asia contributing to 90 per cent of the children’s work force.

       These children face a high risk of psychological damage. A study conducted on 335 working children, of whom 94 per cent were males, with their ages ranging between 11 and 16 years, revealed that most children worked in shops. A small percentage worked with mechanics, did labor work as waiters, in factories or as domestic servants. Nearly half the children worked for over 10 hours a day with an average earning of Rs.2000 per month. One-fourth of the children were not paid at all. Half of the children did not go to school.

      Emotional problems were found more in children working as house-helps or domestic servants. Nearly 10 per cent children had behavioral problems. The reason for working at an early age was determined as poverty, illiteracy and financial support required by the family. Parents make use of children to earn money. Research has revealed that these working children are at a risk for developing depression, low self-esteem and occasionally severe psychological disorders.

       Childhood is a formative period of life. The environment for children should be improved and psychological stress prevented. Education should be promoted and literacy reduced. All this could be achieved in a brand term by alleviating poverty. Children are the wealth of a nation and protecting them from all adversities is the responsibility of every individual.