http://www.flonnet.com/fl2220/stories/20051007004112000.htm

http://www.flonnet.com/fl2220/stories/20051007003911300.htm

There is also an experimental Project done by a group comprising of NGO’s, Trade Unions and Corporate network from UK in the garment industry in Tamil Nadu calling their work as Ethical Trading initiative.

They did had an initial setback, but they havent lost hope yet.

Between September 2003 and August 2004 efforts were made to put the plan into action, however this proved extremely challenging and time-consuming and little headway was made in delivering concrete actions. In addition we failed to recruit a local Coordinator suitable to both the ETI and the local partners. This situation gave the UK group cause to re-evaluate the project.

In June 2005 a group of interested ETI members met to discuss what ETI should do to take forward work on this issue. It was agreed that for this work to be successful we will need, in the first instance, to get a consensus view among the tripartite membership on what we aim to achieve and how. It was therefore agreed that some preliminary work should be carried out by the membership to ensure that progress can be made. The following preliminary steps towards producing guidance for companies were agreed as:

For more please read the link above

Focusing on the sari industry only misses the point; because of hereditary or caste-based occupational continuity, one might have (for e.g.) Muslims prevalent in the sari business, whether as child or adult laborers (e.g. the weavers in Banaras are typically Muslim, from the Ansari biradari/caste). But this does not signify that Muslims are disproportionately represented in child labor as a whole; i.e. in brick making, for instance, some other (and non-Muslim) caste or sub-group might be traditionally associated with that sort of work. I think it IS fair to say that various Dalit groups ARE grossly over-represented in such work, but I do disagree with the insinuation in the excerpt from the report cited in the post that Dalits and Muslims are on similar footing when it comes to child labor. That’s just not true.

It is more socio-economic. Definitely, the lower caste people are at the lowest economic strata and most exploitable. But I think that DMK-stlye policies have limited efficacy. The solution has to be more broad-based and cover a wide range of problems in child-labor. Have you seen the amount of children at harm’s way near construction sites in India? It is frightening.

I do not think Jagjivan Ram’s grandsons are in vulnerable position.

Exactly Saheli….note my past reference to an audit.

Thanks Dhaavak for volunteering to look this up!

The government is corrupt, but don’t paint everyone as being inhumane. There are a people in Congress trying to make things better and even though the country hasn’t had new legislation since the 80s, the issue is still being discussed. Sure, it’s UNESCO/Unicef that’s spearheading the dialogue (and action), but I think the government conceded earlier this year that they have no grip on the crisis and need help… I’m not trying to defend the government, just feeling as though it might be beneficial to not think of this as a totally hopeless cause.

(I don’t believe this is isolated to Dalits, it’s poverty and the lower castes are involved also… Are you quoting from a source?)