NEW DELHI, INDIA, October 12, 2006: The Central government’s ban on employing children below the age of 14 in homes, hotels and restaurants goes into effect on Tuesday. Children’s rights activists say there are between 10 and 15 million children across the country who work, which will make the enforcement of this ban very difficult. What’s even worse is the absence of a rehabilitation package for the children who lose their jobs because of the ban. Mania Panda, a domestic servant, is one example. Last year, both his parents died after which he had to drop out of school in Bhadrak and go to Bhubaneswar looking for work. A roadside restaurant where he was working until recently was the only place he found work, food and shelter. Now, after the center’s ban he has lost even that. Child Rights activists say the ban should have been followed up with a rehabilitation package for these children. “It’s estimated that there are over 13 million children in the domestic sector. Where will the children go if we are not going to provide them with the alternative,” said Ranjan Mohanty, National Convener, Campaign Against Child Labour.
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