It seems like a regular day when the newspaper boy rings our doorbell; he is not more than 14 years of age facing the hard side of life where he has to start working at this tender age and forgo his education. He is not the only one. So is the case with our laundry waala, tapri ka chai waala, waiter at a dhaba, cleaner in a garage or our average house helper. There are many odd employment options that these little ones pick up out of sheer helplessness. What is child labour? As described by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), child labour is, "work that robs children of their childhood, their potential, and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development." It refers to employment that is hazardous to children and harmful in terms of mental, physical, social, or moral safety; it also interferes with their education. Indian counts

Author-Gopi Shah