RIGHTS AT WORK: WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN INDIAN LABOUR JURISPRUDENCE

The framers of the Indian Constitution were very keen in enshrining the principles
of equality, liberty and social justice. They were aware of the sociology of the
problem of emancipation of the female sex. They realized that equality was
important for the development of the nation. It was evident that in order to eliminate
inequality and to provide opportunities for the exercise of human rights it was
necessary to promote education and economic interests of women. It became to them
the objective of the state to protect women from exploitation and provide social
justice. Social justice means the attainment of socio-economic objectives laid down
by the planners. The jurisprudence of industrialization has demonstrated the vital
role of labour laws as an instrument of social justice. Amongst laws which are vital
to a nation‟s life, which manifest a nation‟s spirit, which bestow revolutionary and
progressive values to jurisprudence and lift it from conservative to progressive
strata, industrial law has acquired a place of pride. It can be asserted that it embraces
not only labour and industrial matters but also social matters affecting children,
women and other oppressed sections of society.