Sloane L - Child Labour

Child Labour

Child labour is when children are either forced, or pressured to provide for their families to go into the workforce. This is an issue because it keeps children out of school, keeping them from getting their education.  There has been a nation law put in place that it is illegal for children to work under 15 no matter what the cause is, because it is a right for everyone to have a proper education.  It is estimated that around the world there is over 215 million children that are currently working under illegal child labour.  Most children are forced into working illegally to provide basic necessities for their families.  This is why almost all cases of child labour come from third world countries.  Over fifty percent of these kids live in Asia, and thirty percent are from Africa, which are both undeveloped countries.  In ninety percent of these cases, children are working under unsafe conditions.  These include hazardous work places 

and exploitative conditions. It is said that in the United States, injury in the workplace is twice as high for children then for adults Children working under these conditions and under age can have many long-term effects to their physical, mental, and emotional well being. Most cases of known child labour are intentional by the employer.  This is because children are used to undermine labour standards, for greedy employers.  Such as they will receive little or no pay, because there is no way to stand up to the employer.   If a child has the guts to ever say something there could be sexual, or physical abuse; or it could threaten their job, which in most cases is needed to provide for their family. Most kids are working in the agriculture industry, farming mostly bananas, cotton and tea; the rest are mostly working in the manufacturing business. In the agriculture business, children have been known to suffer from health risks and occasionally get very ill from being exposed to toxic chemicals such as pesticides. There is also children working in the worst kinds of child labour, these include child slavery, child prostitution, and helping in the production and trafficking of illegal substances.  The United Nations has tried very hard over the years to prevent and help this cause.  Through the International Programme on Elimination Child Labour (IPEC) the United Nations has opened IPEC programs in over seventy-five different countries since 1992.  They help raise awareness, stop illegal child labour and promote children’s rights; helping kids get an education and attend school.   Another UN organization is UNICEF which the United nations are aiming to achieve universal primary education, providing both girls and boys a chance regardless of race, religion, and the economic stance of their family to attend and complete at least primary school. UNICEF has done a lot to help children and has brought hope to many families, orphans and refugees.  

Works Cited

Hawksley, H. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6517695.stm

(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---declaration/documents/publication/wcms_decl_fs_37_en.pdf

Bennett, R. C. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/laborctr/child_labor/about/causes.html

Radcliff, D. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/laborctr/child_labor/about/what_is_child_labor.html