The Problem of Child Labor Essay

“I believe in the children of the future,” are lyrics of The Greatest Love of All, made famous in 1977 and 1985 by George Benson and Whitney Houston respectively. They believed in the value of children in our society and that they should be protected. However, those people believed in a child 's capacity to change the world in the future. While people in the past saw children as a way to change the world while they were children. In the late seventeenth century, industrialization arose in England ushering in a new era of industry in our world. More industry means more workers, including children. With the rise of industrialization in a nation, child laborers are viciously abused due to their niche roles in production and their families

In the 21st century, our whole economy is depended upon technology. However, from the end of the Civil War and into the early 1900s, the economy was industrializing. However, industrialization created a larger need for larger workforce. The working conditions changed, but it often caused hardships for workers. As a result, the government, groups and individuals attempt to solve many problems such as low wages, child labor, and unsafe working conditions through the passing of laws and workers’ union.

Child Labor in the 1700s and 1800s was a definite form of abuse to children because they were often severely underpaid, worked much longer hours than even an adult should, and were often exposed to harsh and dangerous conditions. Children were on average five times cheaper to employ then adults, and were expected to work the same hours- which, in mining communities, could mean 14 hour days (Britain , Great. “Report on child labour, 1842.” The British Library, The British Library, 6 Feb. 2014, www.bl.uk/collection-items/report-on-child-labour-1842).

However, addressing the problem of child labor will require more than recognizing its connection to poverty. Governments, human rights organizations, labor leaders, corporations, and health professionals must all work together to find effective ways to ensure that the world's children are educated and not exploited in jobs in multinational or illegal industries. By proposing this act, it would prohibit U.S. imports of goods produced by children laborer. Such legislation would help third world countries enforce laws against child labor; ultimately, it would protect the world's youngsters from the abusive and hazardous conditions often found in factories that rely on low-wage labor. It would curb poverty by getting these kids out of hazardous, abusive working conditions and into school where they may receive an education and contribute productively to their economy. We look out for animals and prisoners, but fail to protect youngsters from exploitive and abusive labor.

Every day, Pablo wakes up at 5:30 and takes the bus into Bogota, Colombia, where he works unloading trucks carrying produce to sell in the food market. He brings home between $5-$8 a day, which goes to food and clothing for his mother and younger siblings. Pablo is twelve years old. He doesn't work because he wants to; he works because he has to, in order to provide enough for his family to survive. Pablo's situation is not uncommon around the world. In fact, there are more than 200 million children working as child laborers. Though some of these children are forced into work by human traffickers, the majority of children work out of necessity. If they do not work, or help their parents with the farm, their family may starve. This issue is

"Please, sir, I want some more." (Dickens, date, p. ?) Although not provocative today, this quote became extremely famous because it calls into question the practice of child labor. Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickson, was written in the Victorian era when factories and businesses were notorious for employing young children. Charles Dickens used his book, to bring a new connotation and worldwide exposure to the exploitation of children. In fact, the issue of Child labor still remains a persistent problem In the current modern world. Child labor, as defined by the International Labor Organization, is “work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity” (n.d., para 2). This organization also notes that this is often

Child labor is a horrid thing in many countries. Child Labor is work that children should not be doing because they are too young to work, or if they are old enough to work – because it is dangerous or otherwise unsuitable for them (“Resources for Speakers, Global Issues, Africa, Ageing, Agriculture, Aids, Atomic Energy, Children, Climate Change, Culture, Decolonization, Demining, Development, Disabilities, Disarmament, Environment, Food, Governance, Humanitarian, Refugees, Women."). Some children who have been sold into this or just picked up can spend up to 16 hours a day working in discomfort and in horrible conditions. According to http://www.poverties.org, Child labor doesn't just ruin the

Even though children helped their families get money to pay the bills it was also called Child Labor. Child Labor was very dangerous because the children working didn't get to see their families and many children became injured or even dead.

“Child labor usually means work that is done by children under the age of 15 (14 in some developing countries) that restricts or damages a child's physical, emotional, social and/or spiritual growth.”1

The authors and articles that I will be relaying on the most to refer to all the different points of view regarding child labour are: Jeffrey Tucker, the editorial vice president of the think tank Ludwig von Mises Institute; Pauline Overeem, a senior researcher that studies the issue of corporate liability in supply chains; Dr. Frank Wijen, a professor at the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University; “Child Labour in the Fashion Supply Chain”, an article sponsored by UNICEF. Many argue that child labor impacts children in a negative way, not only physical but mentally. Others believe it gives children a scent of responsibility. More importantly, it gives children the skills they will need to succeed in their adulthood.

In developing countries, such as in India, child are are forced to work, often as the result of a system of debt bondage where their family trades a small amount of money with an individual and in return, their child is sent away to work, and some of these families will never see their child again. Many of these children, due to the either the lack of regulation or as a result of a country simply “turning a blind eye to the reality of child labor that violates child labor laws”. As we saw in the video from class about the chocolate child labor farmers, many of these children engage in backbreaking work, from sunrise to sunset, and as a result lose their childhood, their ability to go to school, their ability to play with other kids, because of the debt bondage their family agreed to. This is what was experienced by Iqbal Masih. As a four year old boy, his parents sold him into debt bondage for 600 rupees, or less than $6, to an employer who owned a carpet weaving business. Corsaro explains that child labor is especially desired in the carpet weaving business “because they can squat easily, and their nimble fingers can make the smallest, tightest knots”. He woke up before dawn and made his way, bound in chains, down to the factory for work. He worked at that faculty for 6 years, working 12 hours a day, everyday. At the age of ten, he found out that bonded labor was illegal, and tried to escape. After escaping, he made a decision to help others like him, and as a result,

Into: imagine waking up every day aching in pain all over your body from working none-stop as you struggle to stay alive. skipping breakfast everyday just to be a slave at 12 years old working for up to $1.40 a week. According to international labour office “Twelve-year-old Alejandra is woken up at four in the morning by her father, Don José. She does not go to school, but goes to collect curiles, small molluscs in the mangrove swamps on the island of Espiritu Santo in Usulutan, El Salvador. In the rush to get to work, Alejandra does not take time to eat breakfast. It is more important to make sure she has the things she needs to make it through a workday that can mean spending up to 14 hours in the mud. These items include about a dozen cigars and at least four pills to keep her from falling asleep. A good part of the money that she earns goes to buy these things.

People believe that child labor does not affect them, not realizing that the Persian rugs they put their feet on are made by suffering children in a dark, small room. They don’t realize the soccer balls that their children are kicking around outside are made by children themselves, who slave away for little or no pay at all. In 1999, ap-proximately 250 million children are employed or enslaved across the world for little or no money at all (Gay 23). Imagine how these child workers are depraved from experi-ences the joys of childhood. These poor children never get to play outside or enjoy a simple game.

We have all heard that child labour is a bad thing, however, lets try and think – is it, really?

Introduction: Outside the natural beauty and scenery across Indonesia and its respective islands, the behind the scenes action of their economy and social development lies in income disparity and ill-fated use of child labor. With a population of around 249.9 million, Indonesia is the fourth largest (in terms of population) in the world; however, 30 percent of the people are under 15 years old. Educational reforms have been at the forefront of the Indonesian government for years and expansion to free and public education access has had significant progress; unfortunately, more than 4 million children of junior secondary school age and below do not attend classes / lectures / seminars. Furthermore, most of these children are then forced to enter the workforce at a very young age and are vulnerable to exploitation. Based on strong research from the International Labour Organization (ILO), “it is estimated that there are 3.2 million children between the ages of 10 – 17 years old in Indonesia engaged in employment with some involved in the worst forms of child labour.” By definition, child labour is described as work that children should/could not be doing because they are too young, or – if they are old enough to work – because it is too dangerous and hazardous or otherwise unsuitable to them.