Slavery persists in different forms during different epochs of time, echoing the famous timeless adage- the more things change, the more they remain the same. Despite the evolving patterns of the globe, the enduring stigma of slavery permeates our social fabric, manifesting as a widespread issue transcending time and appearing in various forms.

During modern times, child labour is the manifest of slavery. Its paradoxical reality is underscored by UNICEF’s estimation that around 160 million children were dumped into the morass of child labour by 2020 alone. It also reveals that approximately 1 in every 10 children globally is caught in this uncertain predicament. Moreover, the unsettling reality extends from the fact that not all work done by children qualifies as child labour; rather, it encompasses only the activities that harm children, mentally and physically, impeding their education and fundamental rights.

These conditions often emerge when children are subjected to exploitation in the industrial sector, agriculture, mining, and domestic work, perpetuating a cycle of injustice in society. Thus, the persistence of slavery, albeit in new forms, continues to haunt the globe.

Child labor has emerged as a recognized violation of children’s rights and a stain on humanity’s conscience and this pervasive........

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