Goa still suffers from the attitudes to housework acquired from colonial times.

Labour was easily available then due to lack of education. The memsab and the servant attitude exists. This creates the demand for child labour. It is very difficult to get domestic help in Goa. So we bring them in through domestic worker agents.

Child labour is a punishable offence in India. Child labour, including children below 14 years of age working as live in domestic workers is banned in Goa and is punishable with fine and imprisonment.

It is the duty of every family, the society and the State to ensure that the rights of the child are not violated and that children specially below the age of 14 years are not employed as domestic workers.

Sec 7(2) d of the Child Labour and Trafficking Act includes all forms of employment including those in the Tourism trade such as children self employed in labour like nut selling, running errands, carrying loads for shoppers, rag picking, plastic bag selling, combing foreigners hair ,performing acrobatics. Though the government of Goa came out with these provisions we still find children engaged in selling trinkets, tea, employed in shacks and restaurants. Child labour is employed in the eateries and restaurants and shops in Goa.

Employment of children in these occupations make them vulnerable to emotional, sexual, financial and physical exploitation, since they live with the family or even if they are daily workers. They are exposed to violence and mal-treatment. In hazardous occupations they are exposed to health problems. No employer ever understands that in employing children they are denying them their freedom to play laugh and grow. Child domestic labour invites a fine of ` 50,000/- for employing a the child.

There is a demand in Goa for child labour and so trafficking and there is a flourishing business by traffickers. The rate for providing children to work in homes is anywhere between ` 6000/- upwards. Children are being rescued in Goa but the traffickers are still around and are seldom taken to task. This sort of aiding and abetting also invites a fine of rupees ` 50,000 and imprisonment of 3 months. It is not difficult to nab these traffickers if the District police, traffic police and the Labour Inspector coordinate and monitor the key points and nab them. If the authorities take this seriously then many cases of exploitation can be intercepted and prevented.

Tourism has given rise to child labour in Goa for self employment.

A child employed is like a slave. They are made to work, work and work. These children who are driven by poverty are at the mercy of the bosses who wake them up early, deny them a full meal, and give them no rest and recreation.

We have handled cases where the child has been beaten, burnt and maimed. The child refused to live in Goa after registration of the complaint. We had to arrange for repatriation of the child.

The women and child protection units of the State have a tremendous task of monitoring the implementation of the Goa Childens Act 2003.

Citizens have to report cases of child labour. The state has to arrest and punish the traffickers. Only when the Labour Vigilance Officers in the State monitor the implementation of the Plan of Action will child labour be eliminated in the State. Awareness of this Act will ensure that the children who cross the borders into our State are protected. We are duty bound to respect the rights of the child.