An Ongoing Humanity Concern: Child Labour
Over the years, economic hardship has had an adverse effect on millions of families worldwide and in most situations, it comes at the cost of their children’s safety. Child labour has been a prevalent issue, one that has put several children into vulnerable positions for the sake of survival. Approximately around 160 million children were subjected to child labour at the start of 2020 and that had an addition of 9 million children who were at risk due to the impact of COVID 19. Half of these children are in hazardous work conditions which directly endanger not only their moral development but also their health. Worldwide, this amounts to almost 1 in 10 children.
This week, the US Department of Labor (DOL) published its annual global report which evaluated that 131 countries and territories are making efforts to end the worst forms of child labor. The report stated that even though 79 countries had made moderate advancements towards ending child labour, the other 49 countries had made minimum to no progress. Different forms of child labor have included indentured servitude and child slavery which have existed in the United States of America since the beginning. As industrialization moved workers from rural to urban areas and workshops to factories, children were often a preference for the work. This was because owners viewed them as cheaper and more easier to manage than adults in the factories. As child labour gained an immense amount of opposition in the North, several factories moved to the south. American children worked in extremely large numbers in canneries, home industries, mines, glass factories, agriculture, textiles and as newsboys,
messengers, peddlers and bootblacks.
There are several reasons why children may be involved in child labour. One of the most common reasons include when families undergo financial uncertainty. These financial challenges are caused often due to the lack of a job of a primary wage earner giver, their sudden illness or poverty. At such a young age, the repercussions of child labour are severe as it can cause bodily and mental harm and sometimes in worse cases, death. It can also cause sexual or economic exploitation and also slavery which can result in severe psychological and physical harm to a child’s brain and body and end up traumatizing them. Due to child labour, children are deprived of their right to education and health care which ultimately restricts their fundamental rights and as a result, threatens their futures.
Additionally, migrant and refugee children, most of whom have been targeted by conflict, poverty or disaster and due to this, are at the risk of being forced into work or even trafficked. Especially, if these children are migrating alone or taking irregular routes, the risk for them is even higher. Abuse, violence and human rights violations are all which affect Trafficked children where they may be under pressure to break the law. Boys are exploited by groups and armed forces whereas girls are under the threat of sexual exploitation.
Child labour has been an ongoing issue which requires major attention as many still remain oblivious of it. Those children who are not privileged, end up getting traumatized by their demanding work conditions and the stress which it causes on their minds and bodies. It is essential that these overlooked children are catered to and cared for by the masses.
