Child beggary

Punjab has taken a significant step towards safeguarding its most vulnerable population - children - by proposing an increase in the penalty for forcing minors to beg from just one-year imprisonment to a much more substantial 10-year jail term. An amendment to the Punjab Vagrancy Ordinance 1958 has been approved by the provincial cabinet and will now be voted on by the assembly, which has no reason to put up any hurdles. The increased penalty would signal a much-needed shift in societal values and a reaffirmation of our responsibility to protect children from exploitation. The current penalty of one-year imprisonment has proven to be an insufficient deterrent, allowing offenders to see their actions as manageable risks. It is also worth noting that unless the Punjab government ensures that people are actually prosecuted for the crime, increasing the jail term will make no difference.

Child begging is an abhorrent practice that robs children of their dignity, childhood and future opportunities. It is often fueled by poverty, desperation and exploitation of systemic issues by adults who see children as mere tools for generating income. This unsanctioned use of minors not only endangers their physical and mental well-being but also perpetuates a cycle of poverty and victimhood that is difficult to escape. On that note, we also need to develop a mechanism for revoking the parental rights of people who force their children into illegal activities such as begging or child labour. Many professional beggars regard their children as personal property and treat them like slaves. The state has a responsibility to the victim, and letting such parents maintain authority over their children almost guarantees that the kids will be back on the street within days.

Lengthy jail terms for the leaders of organised child beggary rings and people who force their children to beg would allow the government to take in these kids and give them some semblance of a childhood and - hopefully - the kind of protection that a parent should give their child.