CHILD LABOR
Did our war against child labor end?
Did we win the war against child labor?
Despite being illegal in many countries, child labor is a widespread and complex issue that affects millions of children worldwide. This practice is fueled by a range of factors, including poverty, lack of access to education, and weak labor laws. Poverty in particular is a important catalyst to the child labor rates around the globe.
A global estimate suggests that there are 218 million children between the ages of 5 and 17 who engage in some form of labor. Out of this total, 152 million children are forced to work under dangerous conditions. [1] The number of children in labor was gradually decreasing for decades until the Covid-19 pandemic hit the globe which led to the first increase in two decades- an increase of 8.4 million children.[2] Despite the efforts to eliminate it, child labor still exist and our progress against it stalled since 2016, and much work remains to be done.[3]
Child labor witnessed the first increase in two decades
Child labor rose to 160 millions which is the first increase that child labor witnessed in two decades. UNICEF warns that progress made in ending child labor has stopped for the first time in 20 years, which is a reversal of the previous trend that saw a reduction of 94 million child laborers between 2000 and 2016.[4] These numbers are very worrying and the trajectory of child labor rates should be alarming to the global community.
Are we reversing years of progress with child labor?
There is a growing fear that we are reversing decades of progress with child labor issue. In a recent report, UN experts stressed the urgency of taking action due to the COVID-19 pandemic, armed conflicts, food, humanitarian issues, and climate change, which pose a threat to the progress made against child labor. The statement urged immediate measures to address child labor issue, expressing concern that millions of children could be forced into work, potentially damaging their physical and mental health. [5] Unfortunately, United Nations' objective to eradicate child labor by 2025 turned out to be an unrealistic goal. By looking to the graph on the right side, we can see the huge gap between International Labor Organization estimation of child labor's progress, the actual trend and their ambitious target. “Eliminating child labor as a resolution without addressing fundamental structural problems of poverty and inequality will not be successful,”said Tatek Abebe, professor of childhood studies at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim. [6]
50,705,453
Lost Hours of child labor
Until this day in 2023
source:The world counts. Accessed February 27, 2023. https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/child-labor/modern-day-child-labor.
Goods Associated with Child Labor
The Bureau of International Labor Affairs has a record of products and their countries of origin that it suspects are made by children. As of 2022, the catalog has 159 items from 78 different countries and regions and is referred to as the List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor.[8] In the graph to the right side, we can see the goods that are most associated to child labor according to how many countries use child labor to produce them. It's noticeable that the majority of these goods are agricultural goods but what is the reason? Agriculture is a labor-intensive industry that can require cheap and flexible labor, making children an attractive and vulnerable source of labor for farmers[5] And then, there is gold. Why are children used in labor for gold mining?
“The new estimates are
a wake-up call. We cannot stand by while a new generation of children is put at risk”
ILO Director-General Guy Ryder
Why can't we simply eradicate child labor?
There is not a simple answer to this question. Child labor is a complex issue that cannot be eradicated simply by declaring it illegal or imposing fines or sanctions. It persists because it is often rooted in poverty, wars and disasters. In many developing countries, families rely on their children's labor for survival, and children may be forced to work to help support their families.
To effectively eradicate child labor, it is important to address the underlying causes of poverty and lack of access to education. Providing universal primary education cannot be achieved as long as child labor continues to exist. Similarly, child labor will continue to exist until all children have access to free and quality education. [7]
"I MUST WORK TO EAT"
A Nepali child waits for customers as he sells vegetables in the early morning during lock-down amid the Covid-19 pandemic in Kathmandu, Nepal on June 12, 2020. [9]
Child labor in relation to poverty, which leads the other?
The primary factor that forces children to work is poverty. When families are unable to provide for their basic needs such as education, healthcare, food, and water, they are compelled to send their children to work to help supplement their income. Poverty and child labor create a vicious cycle, and to eradicate one, we must address the other. [10]
If we have a look at the two maps below, the map to the left side illustrates child labor rates around the world whereas the image to the right side shows the poverty rate. We can clearly see how these two maps overlap to the extent that it's hard to distinguish one map from the other.
Let's change the image, let's end child labor.
we must fight it and recognize the facts.
Did we win the war against child labor?
Not yet. Your help is needed.
Source: https://www.savethechildren.org/
Source: https://www.savethechildren.org/
Hey, I am Soha!
Age: 6
Country: Egypt
Help Soha to realize her dream, you monthly donation of $39 via save the children organization, will help her to continue her education and and get the help she needs to create a better future. [11]
Use Sweat & Toil App
Be a responsible consumer by buying products free of child labor. You can download the Sweat & Toil App developed by ILAB to ensure that you are not buying goods that have been made using child labor or forced labor.
References
[1] “Child Labor Facts and Statistics.” The world counts. Accessed February 27, 2023. https://www.theworldcounts.com/stories/child-labor-facts-and-statistics.
[2] “Child Labour Worldwide Increases for First Time in 20 Years.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, June 10, 2021. https://www.theguardian.com/law/2021/jun/10/child-labour-worldwide-increases-for-first-time-in-20-years.
[3] “What Is Child Labour (IPEC).” International Labour Organization. Accessed February 27, 2023. https://www.ilo.org/ipec/facts/lang--en/index.htm.
[4] “Child Labor Rises to 160 Million – First Increase in Two Decades.” UNICEF USA, June 11, 2021. https://www.unicefusa.org/press/releases/child-labor-rises-160-million-%E2%80%93-first-increase-two-decades/38686.
[5] “UN Experts Urge Action to Address Alarming Increase of Child Labour in Agriculture Sector.” OHCHR, May 30, 2022. https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2022/05/un-experts-urge-action-address-alarming-increase-child-labour-agriculture.
[6] Wuilbercq, Emeline. “U.N. Goal to End Child Labour by 2025 Deemed Impractical, out of Touch.” Reuters. Thomson Reuters, January 28, 2021. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-childlabour-trfn/u-n-goal-to-end-child-labour-by-2025-deemed-impractical-out-of-touch-idUSKBN29X1JI.
[7] “Five Reasons Why Eradicating Child Labor Is Crucial for Education.” Global Business Coalition for Education, March 10, 2022. https://gbc-education.org/insights/five-reasons-why-eradicating-child-labor-is-crucial-for-education/.
[8] “List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor.” DOL. Accessed February 27, 2023. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/reports/child-labor/list-of-goods-print.
[9] Becker, Jo. “‘I Must Work to Eat.’” Human Rights Watch, May 26, 2021. https://www.hrw.org/report/2021/05/26/i-must-work-eat/covid-19-poverty-and-child-labor-ghana-nepal-and-uganda.
[10]“Why Does Child Labour Happen? Here Are Some of the Root Causes.” ECLT Foundation, February 27, 2023. https://www.eclt.org/en/news/child-labour-causes.
[11] Save the children Website. https://support.savethechildren.org/site/SPageNavigator/sponsorship.html#!/
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