A case to share. Isn't this child labour?

October 22, 2008

Dear Forum Members

Subhash's dreams were rescued by a fishing net. Each morning, before rushing off

to the school he loves casting his net in a pond, looking for tilapias (locally

found fish).

Unlike the other village boys, for the fatherless 15 year old Subhash, this act

is not just for fun. The fish he catches will add Rs 75 to Rs 100 to his

mother's modest earnings from twig collection.

It is money that will bring food to the family and an education for Subhash and

his two younger brothers. And the chance to reach out to dreams that had faded

when Subhash's father succumbed to the HIV virus in 2000.

Fishing was a choice Subhash made. He had always loved it, and would often

borrow his neighbours' net to cast in the many ponds created of sand mining in

his village. And it did not take much to identify this interest as a potential

source of income when counseled by Palmyrah Workers Development Society (PWDS)

under its child centered HIV and AIDS programme, CHAHA. It was that or a choice

to live on charity. Subhash chose the former.

CHAHA, meaning a wish in Hindi, is a Global Fund Round 6 supported child

centered care and support programme implemented by India HIV/AIDS Alliance in

four states (Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Manipur and Maharashtra) to support

children affected and infected by HIV and AIDS and their families.

I found this case study in a small village of Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu

when I was traveling to do the photo update of our programme, in one of the

humid September days. When I came back and shared my experiences in office with

my colleagues, I came across with a strange question.

" Isn't this child labour? "

And that was it. That was the defining moment when I was caught in this dilemma:

Is providing income generation activities to a child of 15 yrs appropriate?

Or is it not that a child who is living in such exceptionally difficult

condition needs special considerations?

DO you think that supporting Subhash (who is just about 15 years old) with a

fishnet and helping him earn money for his family ethical?

To begin with, this should certainly be debated upon. The point is where do we

draw that line?

Please post your answers, observations and suggestions on this issue

Manisha Sharma

Programme Officer-Communications

India HIV/AIDS Alliance

e-mail: msharma@...

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