ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS AND POLICY INTERVENTIONS IN CHILD LABOUR AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES, AND SOLUTIONS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65009/gc38dr46Keywords:
Child Labour, Economic Determinants, Poverty, Policy Interventions, India,,Abstract
Child labour remains a persistent socio-economic challenge in developing nations, despite
sustained legal prohibitions and targeted welfare programmes. This study, titled "Economic
Determinants and Policy Interventions in Child Labour: An Analytical Study of Causes,
Consequences, and Solutions", investigates the economic factors influencing child labour,
evaluates its socio-economic consequences, and assesses the effectiveness of policy measures
in mitigating the problem. Employing a mixed-method approach, the research integrates
primary data from household surveys and focus group discussions with secondary data from
official statistics such as NSSO, Census of India, and ILO reports. Statistical techniques,
including regression analysis and policy impact evaluation, are utilised to identify causal
relationships between household income, unemployment, wage differentials, cost of schooling,
and the prevalence of child labour. The findings reveal that household poverty, adult
unemployment, and limited access to affordable education significantly contribute to the
persistence of child labour. While policy interventions like the Mid-Day Meal Scheme,
conditional cash transfers, and employment guarantee programmes show positive effects, their
coverage and enforcement remain inconsistent. The study concludes with actionable
recommendations for enhancing social protection measures, strengthening local-level
monitoring, and promoting inclusive economic growth to eradicate child labour sustainably.
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