News
Go to News Homepage
Indian court ruling on the use of children in Indian circuses: A statement.
On Monday 18th April, The Supreme Court in New Delhi directed the Central government to issue a notification prohibiting the employment of children in Indian circuses.
The order came in the wake of a petition originally filed by an NGO, Bachpan Bachao Andolan, which has drawn the attention of the court to the widespread prevalence of child labour, including in circuses, and also trafficking in children.
"In order to protect the fundamental rights of these children under Article 21 of the Constitution, we direct the Centre to issue suitable notification prohibiting their employment in circuses," a bench of Justice Dalbir Bhandari and Justice Deepak Verma said.
UK children's charity The Esther Benjamins Trust commissioned the first research into the problem of trafficking in Nepalese children to Indian circuses in 2002. Since 2004 it has been conducting rescue operations that have spelt freedom for over 700 children.
Trust Founder, Philip Holmes, says "We are thrilled by this landmark decision that seems to be the last nail in the coffin of the exploitative and abusive Indian circus industry. Much more still needs to be done to retrieve and rehabilitate trafficking victims who now must be released into our care."
