Child labor in our world today incorporates 250 million children worldwide. Child labor occurs when “people under fifteen years of age are forced to be employed because their parents either cannot work or do not make enough money to support their families on their own” (as cited from a California State essay, http://www.csun.edu/~ss63082/child.html ). Around 120 million of these children are working full time, a majority of 61% in Asia, 32% in Africa, and 7% in Latin America.
- Child labor has a number of detrimental effects on children, it impairs the child both physically and mentally and inhibits the development of the child. Children are unable to go to school and are forced to work in terrible conditions ridden by disease and forces that can cause eye damage, lung disease, susceptible to arthritis as they grow older, and stunted growth. As consumers, we need to work to abolish labor and let children be children.
Dear Hannah,
I think that it is so sad that this is happening in the world. I honestly didn’t know about Asia I usually hear about things like this in places like Africa, and Latin America. My trouble is thinking of a way to stop this. How can we do that? I know that people can easily raise awareness, but how do people actually make money too help support these families? People can make working conditions for workers better and pay them more so they can keep their children in school. Their kids would be more successful in life, therefore making child labor a little less common and possibly get rid of it for good. Overall this was a great piece and I enjoyed reading it and learning something new.
This is sad they shouldn’t be doing this to kids so young
This is such a sad topic and truly devastating. I agree with you that we all need to do whatever we can to prevent this. Great post and great awareness.