Child Labor

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Throughout time children have worked myriad hours in hazardous workplaces in order to make a few cents to a few dollars. This is known as child labor, where children are risking their lives daily for money. Today child labor continues to exist all over the world and even in the United States where children pick fruits and vegetables in difficult conditions. According to the article, “What is Child Labor”; it states that roughly 215 million children around the world are working between the ages of 5 and 17 in harmful workplaces. Child labor continues to exist because many families live in poverty and with more working hands there is an increase in income. Other families take their children to work in the fields because they have no access to childcare and extra money is beneficial to buy basic needs. Although there are laws and regulations that protect children from child labor, stronger enforcement is required because child labor not only exploits children but also has detrimental effects on a child’s health, education, and the people of the nation.
Currently there are laws and regulations that protect children from working in hazardous workplaces at a young age. The article, "The Impact of Discrimination on Working Children and on the Phenomenon of Child Labour” mentions the Fair Labor Standards Act passed in 1938 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt not only set the minimum wage but also banned children under the age of sixteen from working. This act led to the decline of child labor in the United States over a period of time. For the first time after a long time, children did not have to work in hazardous workplaces and risk their lives. Children were able to live their childhood and did not have to grow up so fast. In add...

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...." Human Rights Watch | Defending Human Rights Worldwide. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2013.
"Long-Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect." Long-Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2013.
"The Impact of Discrimination on Working Children and on the Phenomenon of Child
Labour." Anti-Slavery. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013.
Riskin, Victoria, and Mike Farrell. "Profiting On the Backs of Child Laborers." Profiting On The Backs Of Child Laborers. N.p., 12 Oct. 2000. Web. 04 Dec. 2013.
"The Impact of Pesticide Exposure on Child Labourers in Agriculture." The Impact of Pesticide
Exposure on Child Labourers in Agriculture. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013.
"United States Department of Labor." United States Department of Labor. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2013.
"What Is Child Labor?" - The Child Labor Education Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2013.

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