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 CATEGORIES |
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| LAW AND POLICY : NATIONAL POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES |
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National policies and programmes are central not only to finding an enduring solution to bonded labour but also in ensuring that those freed from debt bondage do not end up in other forms of exploitation. To be effective, policies must address all aspects of the problem. For instance, field investigations reveal that many rural landowners, employers and bonded labourers themselves do not understand what bonded labour is and that it is illegal. The success of rescue and rehabilitation programmes has been undermined by problems in accessing rehabilitation grants, the dearth of guidance on how best to use them and the lack of alternative livelihood opportunities for released bonded labourers.
This highlights the importance of implementing widespread awareness raising campaigns to create an understanding that bonded labour is illegal, and to build awareness of human rights, labour rights and the risks inherent in bonded labour arrangements. It also underscores the importance of creating sustainable alternative livelihoods for people belonging to ethnic minorities and lower caste groups in rural areas who are at risk of being drawn into bonded labour. Another important component is adequate counseling and assistance to released bonded labourers on how to invest their rehabilitation grants and access benefits from other schemes and programmes.
National policies and programmes complement legal action and are critical to ending bonded labour in South Asia.
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