However, the scourge of child labour continues, more so in the poorer parts of the world, like Asia, Africa and South America. Acute and widespread poverty is the main cause for. These countries are not witnessing industrialisation. In fact, de-industrialisation is taking place. The International Labour Office (ILO) has estimated that in 1998 there were over 250 million children between the ages of five and 14 who worked as part-timers. Of these, 61 per cent are in Asia, 32 per cent in Africa and 7 per cent in Latin America. Although child labour is concentrated in Asia, the problem is most severe in Africa, where two out of every five children are engaged in some economic activity. In Africa, where the growth is substantial, the situation is compounded by the AIDS scourge, as many children have been forced into penury due to parents who died young.

In India, one of our field surveys done in the carpet industry in Rajasthan showed that it was usually children of a large family who had to work to earn their living. A ban on carpets produced by them, in 1995, by German buyers only `helped' in throwing them out of their jobs. They turned to either begging or stealing to survive.

Poverty is the main driving force behind parents pushing children to work. Population explosion is the other reason. It is always a large family that needs to send their children to work for survival. Even if one would like to send all of them to school, there are many problems. Are there enough proper schools? Are there enough teachers? Will the children be provided with required books and stationery? Our study showed that it would require anywhere between $12 billion to $18 billion per annum to provide functioning schools etc., for the estimated 15-140 million child workers in India. This estimate is based on providing functioning schools in the 600,000 villages with a mid-day meal. Additionally, the cost also includes an allowance as compensation for the loss of income for the poor to send their children to school.

The government doesn't have that kind of money. These resources can be raised through aid and/or strong economic growth of 8-10 per cent. As overseas development aid is going down every year, high growth can be achieved only through increased trade and investment flows, and increased exports. Sanctions or boycotts will not only hit the economy but also worsen the condition of these children. There are laws everywhere to prevent children from going to work, especially in hazardous occupations. But, implementation is poor in developing countries, as there is often no viable alternative and little resources.

In its annual report, `Global Economic Prospects and Developing Countries, 2001', released in December 2000, the World Bank points out: "The threat of trade sanctions or the imposition of trade barriers are likely to be excessively costly instruments for raising labour standards and even be counterproductive in some cases" . The overwhelming evidence against sanctions as an approach to child labour issues only confirms that there is need for better understanding and compassion about the issue, alongwith reduced trade barriers to help children in poor countries overcome their misery.

(The writer is secretary-general of CUTS Centre for International Trade, Economics and Environment, Jaipur)