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OPA News Release: [02/23/2005]
Contact Name: Mike Biddle
Phone Number: 202-693-4676 or x5051
Release Number:
05-0269-NAT
U.S. Deputy Labor Secretary to Review U.S-Sponsored Child
Labor Efforts in India
Will Present $6 Million Contribution to Joint
U.S.-India Child Labor Project
NEW DELHI —U.S. Deputy Labor Secretary Steven J.
Law is conducting a six-day visit to India to meet with Indian government
officials, representatives of non-governmental organizations, business leaders,
education providers and children to assess the progress of U.S. Department
of Labor (USDOL)-sponsored projects to eliminate hazardous and exploitive
child labor in India.
“As India's prominence grows in the worldwide economy, it is important
to address concerns such as child labor,” said Deputy Secretary Law. “We
are partnering with the Indian government to provide hope and a better
future to thousands of children who are subjected to dangerous or exploitive
work conditions. We want to accelerate efforts to eliminate these kinds of
practices and spread economic opportunity.”
While in India, Law will provide $6 million—the last installment of
a $20 million commitment by the U.S. Department of Labor—to the U.S.—India
INDUS Child Labor Project. The Indian government is matching the U.S.
commitment with $20 million of its own. The INDUS project is aimed at
removing children from ten specific industries in India: beedi cigarettes,
brassware, brick-making, fireworks, footwear, bangles, locks, matches, quarried
stones and silk. In addition, India has agreed to assess the status of child-labor
elimination efforts in the carpet-making industry. INDUS activities are
underway already in four states in India (Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil
Nadu and Uttar Pradesh) and Delhi, and more than 44,000 children have been
enrolled in educational and training programs.
Law is also visiting U.S.—funded projects in Chennai and Mumbai to meet
with children, parents, teachers and community leaders who are helping to
remove children from exploitive labor conditions and provide them better
economic opportunities.
Law began his trip in Chennai, conducting a site visit of the INDUS project
in the district of Kancheparam where children who were previously working
in silk weaving are going to school. Law also met with information technology
engineers in Chennai to discuss India 's role in the worldwide economy. On
Feb. 24, he meets with high-level Indian government officials in New Delhi
and the U.S. Ambassador to India , and also will tour the U.S. DOL-funded
Women's Employment Project. On Feb. 25, he travels to Mumbai to visit a shelter
home and meet with human trafficking victims. On Feb. 26, Law will travel
to Aurangabad to visit an INDUS-sponsored project helping children previously
employed in brick kilns and stone quarries.
According to the 1991 Indian census, 11.3 million Indian children ages 5-14
are working, out of a total child population of 210 million. Unofficial estimates
place the number of working children in India much higher, since many of
them work in the country's vast informal economy, including some in hazardous
industries where children typically work long hours for little or no pay;
have no access to schooling; are subject to coercion and intimidation; and
are exposed to dangerous working conditions.
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