Sumangali (child labour)

Sumangali is a form of child labour which, although forbidden, is practised in India, particularly the textile industry in Tamil Nadu. It is likened to soft trafficking, a less explicit form of human trafficking. In the scheme, a girl is hired on contract for three to five years, during which she earns a wage, and after which she is paid a lump sum to pay for a dowry. It is said to have originated in Coimbatore in the late 1990s.

The scheme is also known as Sumungali scheme, Sumungali Thittam, Suba Mangala scheme, Subha Mangala scheme, Mangalya Thittam, Thirumangalam thiruman thittam, the marriage scheme, and the camp coolie system. The term Sumangali means "married woman" or "happily married woman" in Tamil. It refers to a "single girl becoming a respectable woman through marriage".

A recruiter visits households of prospective young female labourers and discusses with the girl and her parents the benefits of Sumangali work. Most of the target girls are from poor families, , usually between 15 and 18 years old. Benefits offered may include three meals a day, air conditioning, a swimming pool, and free movies, all available at the employer's dormitory. They may also offer a bonus to be paid at the end of the contract. The recruiter is paid a commission for each girl hired by the textile manufacturer. Some girls are taken without their parents' consent.

More than 80 percent of recruits are hired for work in spinning mills. The remainder work in garment manufacturing.

Once hired on contract, the girls move into a company-controlled compound, and are trained for their jobs as apprentices. The compounds are kept under surveillance, and the girls are rarely permitted to leave and have little contact with their families. The girls are required to work long shifts in noisy factories, are subjected to verbal and physical abuse, and are paid low wages. The girls are expected to work 12-hour shifts six days a week, and sometimes additional night shifts or overtime.

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