After the Elimination of Child Labor: Immobilization of the Labor Market in Rural South India

Sivakasi, one of rural districts in south India, was notorious as a place of intensive child labor in the production of matches and fireworks. But now the reputation of the Sivakasi district has changed to that of a regional center of higher education. Many employment opportunities have been produced by taking advantage of the matches and fireworks industries for factory workers and the sideline of rural women. This study examined the actual condition on whether child labor has been abolished completely, and the process of how the Sivakasi area reduced the number of child laborers. One of the main factor behind successfully eliminating child labor are so many interventions such as government programs and education were effectively working for the elimination process, with reference to the empowerment movement for low-income households with working children. Regarding to collected data from two generations in Sivakasi, it has been verified the changes in the attitudes of low-income households, which were considered to be the principal suppliers of child labor. In the meantime, achievement of Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE) programs has brought a dramatic change of level of education even in rural area. But, changes in the level of education were not fully reflected in the career choice for young generations. Abundance of employment opportunities seems to be rather led to the immobilization of occupation.