CHILDREN WORKING IN BRICK KLIN

Social norms and economic realities mean that child labor is widely accepted and very common in INDIA. Many families rely on the income generated by their children for survival, so child labor is often highly valued. Additionally, employers often prefer to employ children because they are cheaper and considered to be more compliant and obedient than adults. When children are forced to work, they are often denied their rights to education, leisure and play. Child labor as a result of poverty is one of the most common theories about the causes behind underage work. A majority of studies in developing countries show that poor families put their children in child labor more often than families in a better economic situation. Increase of the household income is one reason but it is also a safety strategy to even out the risk of losing economic income, for example with the loss of an adult income earner or a failed harvest. According to ILO child labor commonly may represent around 20 per cent of the household income, and as poor families spend the majority of its income on food, consequently the children's incomes are crucial. In many households not all income is equally allocated to meet basic needs. Income earned by the mother of the household is more likely to be available for the family than income earned by the father. Children's earnings given to mothers may therefore be more important for the family than the earnings gained by the father. It is common that children think about such factors, they are fully aware of their work as an important part to support their family.