6. Attention to agriculture supply chain( global and domestic)
Eliminating child labour in global agricultural supply chains receives significantly more attention and funding than eliminating child labour in domestic and local supply chains, yet there is a wide consensus that more child labour is found in latter.
Global agriculture supply chain
Yes, there is greater attention on child labour in global agricultural supply chains. It must be said that ethical practices of local farmers’ in the global supply chain would impact those farmers who run their agricultural operations which are totally domestic. Indeed , in practice there are famers who are both local and global.
At the same time some it is observed that global companies have found non transparent ways of continuing in the business engaging child labour as it is apparently profitable. n a way they have cleverly absolved themselves even as child labour exists. It is difficult to provide evidence for this as most transactions are hidden.
Domestic supply chain
At the domestic level there is a weak enforcement of the child labour prohibition act as well as the implementation of right to education act. Also, there is absence of shock an outrage that children are at work and not in schools. Child labour is seen as inevitable. There is no elite consensus- (political, bureaucratic, corporate, academic and intellectual, media) to abolish child labour once and for all.
Policies and programs are not in place. Enforcement is weak. Consumer awareness is not built. A consensus is on existence of child labour. No consensus on total abolition of child labour in domestic and local supply chain.
Which kind of agricultural policies and strategies could help to address child labour in domestic and local agricultural supply chains?
Farmers depend upon banks for credit to carryout all their agricultural operations. There must be a clear conditionality that credit will not be available for farmers if they employ children .Banks and agriculture extension officers along with labour officials are to monitor every farm that has taken loan.
Are there any cases where gender inequalities in local and /or domestic supply chains have been assessed in linking its impacts on child labour?
All farm work is labour intensive and since women and girls are source of cheap labour they are in great demand. Thus, there is feminisation of agriculture work. Girls are more vulnerable than boys and drop out of schools to join fam work. Girl child marriages also end up in child labour.
Question 7: Cross-sectoral policies and strategies
In many contexts, agricultural workers do not benefit from the same labour rights as other more formalized sectors. Where and how have agricultural stakeholders complemented labour law compliance in order to successfully improve working conditions for agricultural workers and through this helped reduce the vulnerability of households that engage in child labour
There is evidence to show that when child labour is withdrawn from agriculture and all children go to schools, there is scarcity of labour and so adult workers have a better bargaining position. Thus, there has been an increase in wages for adult workers and also improvement in conditions of work for adults. It has also introduced changes in farm practices with introduction of mechanisation. The argument is that there is a clear link between abolition of child labour and increase in wages and quality of life of the poor. Child labour depresses wages for adults.
It is important that in all works of the government that is directly implemented or through the contracts there has to be an adherence to labour laws. This will have a spin off effect on benefits to agricultural workers. Unfortunately, even the governments’ rural employment guarantee program (MNREGA) is also exempt from paying minimum wages as per law.
Wherever there have been strong agriculture labour unions with participation of men and women workforce they pressed for tripartite agreements and have made gains in improvement of work conditions and better wages. Currently there is a trend in payment on piece work basis, contract labour and engagement of migrant labour force. This has increased the exploitation of agriculture labourers, with family along with children as a whole engaged in work and weakened the trade union movement.
In which circumstance have agricultural and education stakeholders come together to formulate and implement policies or programmes on addressing child labour in agriculture ensuring that children have access to affordable and quality education in rural areas? Has this process been successful and what are the main challenges?
Wherever there has been a strong process of social mobilisation in the villages, involving all stakeholders including farmers there has been a success in abolishing child labour. Further, in these areas’ farmers have come forward to put pressure on the government to provide for adequate infrastructure and school teachers and in demanding that the right to education act is implemented.
Education stakeholders too have to take a clear stand that access to schooling till 18 years is a non-negotiable. There has to be zero tolerance of school drop outs and child labour by the state.
Presently abolition of child labour is not on the agenda of agriculture stake holders. When they inspect fields for quality production of agricultural commodities and quality of seeds, distribute and educating farmers on high yield varieties the issue of child labour needs to be also taken up.
The real challenge is in the non-seriousness of the education and labour department to implement the laws.
Social protection in rural areas can be a mechanism to provide support to vulnerable households and address child labour in agriculture. Are there any examples of social protection schemes that address the vulnerabilities experienced by migrant agriculture labour, since children can be at particular risk (including multiple forms of exploitation) in these scenarios?
Certainly, there needs to be child centric protection policies to ensure that children are in schools and continue in the education stream till they complete at least secondary school education. Such policies would involve provisioning of hostels and residential schools, free education up to graduation level, free text books, transportation, special and remedial classes, scholarships, programs of sponsorship and foster care for children at risk, seasonal hostels for children of migrant labour, noon meal program at all levels from primary schools to graduation, free health care facilities. All such decisions are to be taken at the level of local bodies, at a decentralised level in order to address the specific challenges of each and every child.
Finally elimination of child labour in any sector from our experience An Area based approach is best stratagy in creation of Child Labour Free Zones. In an area based approach every child out of school and working as child labourers in any sector are tracked and mainstreamed into formal schools.
From:
R.Venkat Reddy, National Convener, M.V.Foundation
Sr. Venkat Reddy Regatte