“Humare yahaan ladkiyon ko nahi padate (Girls are not educated at our homes),” said *Deepa, *Drishti’s mother, who lives in an urban slum community in Uttar Pradesh. This was her response on being asked why her daughters were working at home.

In their four-walled household, all one can see are shuttlecocks scattered around, three young girls, and an elderly mother, together, they meticulously assemble these sporting devices. In one corner are boxes of neatly assembled shuttlecocks, while the rest of the house contains some clothes, an old gas stove, and a few vessels. The family earns a meagre INR 2 for each box containing 10 shuttlecocks. As a family, they manage to produce 50 boxes a day, earning a total of INR 100. 

The Census of India 2011 report reveals that 10.1 million children in India are engaged in child labour, with 4.5 million of them being girls. Additionally, data shows that over 42.7 million children are out of school. Studies conducted by various organisations suggest that children who are not in school are often involved in some form of work. 

The country’s literacy rate, according to the census, indicates that one-third of the girls in India are not attending school. It’s hard not to assume that these girls are likely contributing to their families through informal labour, either at home or elsewhere. 

12-year-old Drishti is the youngest girl in this family. She says, “I want to go to school, but who will help my mother if I go to school?” 

Her two elder sisters, *Sanjana (17) and *Soumya (15), are also not educated. However, her eldest brother, Shanmukh (19), studied until class 10 and has become a tailor. Deepa proudly spoke about her 7-year-old son as well, saying, “We are sending the youngest boy, Sourabh, to school.” 

A few kilometres away lives 13-year-old *Ruhi. She is currently studying in class five and has dreams of becoming a teacher. 

“I want to teach poor children. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to study. But now I’m really glad that I can. I want to study and then help other poor children study,” said an excited Ruhi as she shared the story of how she returned to school. 

Two years ago, Ruhi was also stopped from going to school. Her parents decided that, as a girl, she didn’t need to study. 

Ruhi’s mother, *Sayana, explained, “Our financial situation was terrible. All we could afford was to send our sons to school. There’s a belief in our society that it’s okay if girls work at home and don’t go to school. But thanks to World Vision India, they kept persuading us to send her to school. Since June 2018, she has been going to school and attending the remedial education centre run by World Vision India in our community.” 

Ruhi, too, persuaded her parents to send her to school. “I often told them that I would earn money and pay my school fees,” she says. 

Still working and helping her mother at home after school, Ruhi feels relieved that she is at least able to attend school. 

Ruhi and her mother decorate dresses for women using beads. They earn INR 3 for each dress they embellish and manage to decorate at least 5-10 dresses a day. 

Child labour is a widespread issue, yet the deprivation of the girl child remains a hidden concern lurking in its shadow. While some families, like Drishti’s, fail to recognise the importance of educating the girl child, constant counselling and a shift in attitudes towards girls can make a profound difference, as evidenced by Ruhi’s story. 

*Names changed to protect identity 

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