Responsible or irresponsible????

Not long ago in a meeting of particular institute, someone asked a question. Question was something similar to this: the institute boasts and do lot for CSR , but what about the children who work here. Isn’t management encouraging child labor? Management’s answer was that it’s not in their notice that any child is working but they will take cognizance of this issue and find out more on this. In next meeting management clarified that none of the person working inside the institution is below 18 and administration takes necessary steps to implement minimum age bar. If any person working inside the campus looks below 18 then it just because of their appearance not because of age.
Bravo!!!!!!!! Kudos to management and the concerned associates that they prevented the child labour. Did they?
When the question was asked I was sitting wondering at my place (but I didn’t say anything since it was not a forum to discuss child labor). But just think about a child with age 14 working in pantry, who lost his job after the issue came in cognizance of management. Now he is employed in a cracker’s factory, playing with dangerous and hazardous condition.
What a better way to discharge our social responsibility!!!
Lets 1st discuss the technical aspect of the problem.At first a child is permitted to work after 14 (with parent consent), after 16 (without any consent) in any non-hazardous and non-exploitative job. What could be better place than that institute for him to work which is safe, clean and source of contact with knowledgeable people.
I would have been happier if management would have come with approach that through its CSR programme it would have ensured a proper education and proper living condition for all children working inside the campus.
India is a poor country and child labour problem could not be solved by just not employing child. Boycotts is not the solution, it might make the situation graver.For example, a UNICEF study found that after the Child Labor Deterrence Act was introduced in the US, an estimated 50,000 children were dismissed from their garment industry jobs in Bangladesh, leaving many to resort to jobs such as “stone-crushing, street hustling, and prostitution”, jobs that are “more hazardous and exploitative than garment production”. The study suggests that boycotts are “blunt instruments with long-term consequences that can actually harm rather than help the children involved.”
Solution is to ensure a healthy, safe and respectful environment for child to work and also make the employer take responsibility to provide a mandatory education of working child. We cannot just throw a working child out and boycott taking a willing child and think that we are champion of social cause. If a poor child is willing to work and want to make a place for himself/herself and his/her family in this world then it’s our responsibility to guide them according to their ability and show them the way which will take them to their bright future.