Indian Diamond Industry Child Labor Reportedly Down

Child labor in the Indian diamond industry, a topic of much heated debate, is reportedly down to 0.31 percent. In December, GJEPC Chairman Bakul Mehta rejected claims that child labor was widespread in the industry.

According to a recent survey reported in the Indian press, child labor has been brought down to 0.31 percent of the total diamond industry workforce.

A. F. Ferguson and Co., which conducted the survey, estimated that child labor in the Indian gemstone industry was 0.98 percent; 0.1 percent in the jewelry industry and 0.31 percent in synthetic stone manufacturing.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) claimed in a report published in December that child labor constituted nearly 3 percent of the diamond workforce in India. GJEPC Chairman Bakul R Mehta told reporters at the time that the report was “absolutely baseless”, but conceded that child labor existed in the industry.

Mehta estimated child labor at below half a percent.

“The children employed in the industry are not engaged directly in diamond cutting but are deployed in support activities which are recognized internationally,” Mehta was quoted.