Child labour in Sri Lanka!

- Thinakkural Editorial

(September 02, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Mrs. Pearl Weerasinga, Commissioner of Labour, has stated that more than 30,000 children below the age of 14 are employed as labourers in shops and houses in Sri Lanka and that they are made to suffer sexual abuse by both Sri Lankans and foreigners.

It is a startling news. Although the law does not permit the employment of children below the age of 14, they are compelled to work. According to the law, it is an offence to employ a boy or girl who is under 14 years of age. Under this law, the police are empowered to raid places of work and take legal actions against the offenders.

The Department of Labour also can take necessary action in this regard. However, it is necessary that there is public co-operation.

Child labour is a global problem. In 2001, the UN declared June 12th as the day against the cruelty of employing children. International organizations stress that every government must take measures to ensure that children in that age group are entitled to education and healthy life.

Girls are in large numbers among the children who are employed in houses. They are easily subjected to sexual assault, exploitation and abductions. UNICEF states that about 50 lakhs of children are employed in houses in South Asia.

According to a survey 45 % of the children in the estate sector are subjected to abuse in one way or the other. Instead of being at school, they are compelled to work under difficult conditions. This is in a way disabling the future generation!

(An English translation of the Editorial in Thinakkural, a Tamil daily, based in Colombo.) - Sri Lanka Guardian