Combating child labour with labels: case of Rugmark
Aparna Ravi
Economic and Political Weekly 36(13): 1141-1147
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 0012-9976 Document Number: 266319
This paper looks at labelling schemes, and the factors that facilitate and constrain their success, can affect child labour with reference to Rugmark and its role in mitigating the child labour problem in the carpet industry. A 1999 study based on field research in the districts of Mirzapur and Bhadohi (the heartland of the hand-knotted carpet industry), in Uttar Pradesh, India, is presented. The paper briefly discusses the establishment and purpose of the Rugmark initiative, the setbacks it has encountered despite its achievements; and unintended developments whereby carpet manufacturers are moving out of the area to employ child labour in districts which are not part of the Rugmark scheme. The study revealed several loopholes in the implementation of the programme and concludes that as Rugmark does not transform the basic structure of the carpet industry and neglects the underlying causes of child labour, it cannot be a substitute for government action, but only a useful supplement.