Little Hands in the Trap of Child Labour: Employment Patterns and Causes with Special Reference to District Anantnag (Jammu and Kashmir)

Abstract

The present study “Child Labour†conducted on the sample of 150 respondents from district Anantnag under objectives: (i) To study the socio-economic background of child labour (ii) To study the employment patterns of child labour. (iii) To study the causes of child labour. The primary as well as secondary data was collected from the relevant sources. A well constructed interview schedule was used to collect the primary data from the respondents. Analysis revealed that an overwhelming majority of respondents having insufficient parental income; less working options; and geographical condition of District Anantnag was most important factor which forcing them for labor work, followed by the respondents having labour as their family occupation. Much of the children were engaged in carpet making and also others were worked at employers home.  So, it can also easily be inferred that evil of child labour is born of poverty and other economic reasons.

Keywords: Child Labour, Employment Patterns, Causes, Illiteracy, Working condition, Education, Poverty.