India, the largest democracy in the world, paradoxically bears the scourge of having tens of millions of child labourers living a life of bondage and slavery. Use of children as labourers is rampant not only in the agriculture sector but also in industries such as match box, leather, carpet, saree, stone quarries, gems cutting and polishing, brick kilns, and many more. These children are denied their fundamental right to childhood, to education, to play and to dream like normal children. This practice has been continuing uninhibitingly in blatant violation of the constitution and the laws of India. The vast majority of India's bonded child laborers come from poor families. The children's parents borrow money from rich money lenders. However, when the parents are unable to pay back the loans, the money lenders seize their children, forcing the children to work in factories until the money is paid back with exorbitant interest. One might assume that these loans are large sums of money, but on average the loans range from only US $11 to $17. This seems like a very good cause. I think the Network should undertake a project like this. Unfortunately, I do not have the time to do anything. We need volunteers to make policies for the Network with respect to child labor in India, and to implement those policies.



