Over 10,000 Child Laborers in Goa: Census

According to the latest statistics of Census 2011, a total of 10,009 children in Goa, aged between 5-14 are employed and 6920 of these children are working as ‘main workers’ have been employed constantly over a prolonged period of time.

Despite implementation of the Right of Child to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which makes schooling mandatory for children up to the age of 14, there are 5,351 male children and 4,658 female children who have seemingly become victims of child-labour in Goa.

Other than the 6,920 children employed for over six months, 2,902 have worked as marginal workers for a period ranging from three to six months. Of these, around 1,300 have worked as manual workers. Additionally, 187 children from the state have worked for a period of less than three months.

As per the statistics, of the 10,009 child workers in Goa, 4,738 children are available in the job market ‘seeking work’. Majority of these children appear to be employed as domestic help in households, as waiters in small eateries and as help along with parents in manual labour jobs.