The Hidden Workforce: A study on child labour in the garment industry in Delhi

Child labour in the garment industry is one of the rapidly growing unorganised workforces in cities such as the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCTD), also known as the hub of garment export industry in India. Save the Children’s experience of working on child labour in the garment industry has shed light on the emerging phenomenon of informalisation under manufacturing garments units, owing to sub-contracting and outsourcing of work. In addition, poor regulatory framework of the outsourced work has led to children being employed for many economic activities (Watson & Olsen, 2011). Thus, as part of Save the Children’s on-going intervention on protecting the rights of children working in the garment industry in Delhi, this research study has been undertaken. The core objectives of the study have been to:

• Estimate the number of children working in the garment industry in Delhi
• Understand the working and living conditions of children in the garment industry in Delhi
• Understand the nature of garment industry and its supply chain in Delhi and also to analyse the reasons of child labour perpetuating in the supply chain of the industry
• Suggest a remedial model for withdrawing children from labour in garment industry