Child Labour in Film and Television Industry

• 19 Jul 2019

The government is working to ensure “strict compliance” of norms on working conditions for children by film and television industry, as well as the inclusion of mandatory disclaimers when they appear on the screen.

• The Ministry has expressed concern over violations of child labour rules in film and television.

Child Labour

• The term ‘Child Labour’ is defined as a work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity and is harmful to their physical and mental development.
• It refers to the work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children, interferes with schooling by depriving them of the opportunity to attend school, obligement to leave school prematurely or requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work.

Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Rules, 2017

• Under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Rules, 2017, child artistes are supposed to work for a maximum of five hours a day and not more than three hours without rest.
• The rules also require permission from the District Magistrate and an undertaking by the producer, as well as the deployment of one person each for ensuring the safety and security of a maximum of five children.
• Children should not be away from schooling for more than 27 days and 20% of their income should be deposited in a fixed deposit in their name, as per the rules.
• If a child was involved in filming, the film should include a disclaimer saying that all measures were taken to ensure that no abuse, neglect or exploitation of the child took place during shooting.