Child Labor Essay

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Recommended: Poverty and the effects on children

Child labor refers to work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children; interferes with their schooling by depriving them of the opportunity to attend school; obliging them to leave school prematurely or by requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work (International Labor Organization). Child labor has been a big problem ever since the Victorian Era. Many counties worldwide have used and still to this day use child labor. Though there are many laws that have been implemented against using children to work, many countries tend to ignore them. In my paper I will be discussing countries where child labor is present, push to stop child labor, companies that use child labor, the effects on children, and the reasons for child labor. Countries where child labor is present Child labor is seen across all over the world and one of the main causes of child labor is poverty. Parents would often send their children off to work at a young age so they can get much needed income to survive. Child labor is mostly practiced in poor countries such as India, China, Japan, Pakistan, Ethiopia, South Africa, North Korea, etc. In the topic of poverty the two countries I will be talking about are India and China. With a population of over 1.2 billion India is sadly at the top of the chain with the largest number of child laborers in the world. India has a poverty rate of twenty five percent with fifty percent of the population being under the age of twenty five years old (Graham). In India agriculture is the norm for working. The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that seventy percent of child labor in India is in agriculture or related acti... ... middle of paper ... ...aring stories from my parents makes it evident that child labor is widespread and still going on illegally today. Push to stop child labor The late 1800’s and early 1900’s were difficult times for children in the work force. Underpaid children worked long hours in harsh conditions such as high temperatures, exposure to chemicals, and with cuts and bruises. In concern for their well being the National Child Labor Committee was formed. This organization fought to expose and change the hard conditions children were forced to face. Numerous labor movements and reforms began to fight against child labor since child labor began to come into view for many (Fried). Proposal recommendations were made to set minimum wage and restrictions on the earliest age children could work. A gradual, but steady change in child labor helped children gain fair treatment in the workforce.

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