There are 215 million children involved in child labor, and 115 million of these children are involved in hazardous work. Hazardous work is any work that can harm the health, safety, or morals of children. This includes but is not limited to, child soldiers, trafficked children, and those who work in unstable environments for very low wages. Hazardous child labor needs to come to an end and regulations need to be made concerning the jobs, health, and education of non hazardous child laborer.
All children performing hazardous work are at risk for lifelong disabilities. Since children have a faster metabolism then adults, they breathe in twice as much air. This means if children are working in gold mines where they are exposed to harmful chemicals such as mercury, then they are twice as likely to absorb these unhealthy toxins. If children are partaking in heavy lifting during growing stages, then they can develop deformities such as crippled feet, bent backs, or dislocated shoulders. Another huge problem with child labor is their mental stability. These children have lost their adolescent and moved straight into supporting their families. For the children, this can mean educational loss and loss of overall happiness. All of these issues are serious health concerns involved with hazardous child labor, and they need to be stopped by force of law.
Not all child labor is bad however, with regulations child labor can be a sufficient way for children to support their impoverished families. Child Labor is categorized into 3 categories, ages 13 and up can perform light work, ages 15 and up can perform ordinary work and ages 18 and up can perform hazardous work. If a child is below the age of 13, they should not be performing any work. The first regulation that needs to be made is education. A free, quality education needs to be provided and mandated for all children until the minimum age of work. Even after children have reached the minimum age, there should still be time restraints on how long a child is eligible to work. Also, the jobs and conditions of these jobs, need to have extreme regulations. If policies for child labor are instated, then hazardous child labor will vanish.
Child labor is sometimes a necessary source of income for impoverished families. If hazardous conditions are ended and regulations are made, then child labor should be a completely safe option for children who are in need.
I agree that the idea of regulations on child labor could make it a safe and effective force when battling hunger and other malnourishment, but basically that's setting up a union of some sort that protects these children. Great idea, I would like to hear your idea on the process of setting up such a system.
ReplyDeleteThe term "light weight" needs to be clearly defined to all employers using this system. In reality, all these terms need to be clearly defined so that there is no question when someone is breaking the regulations. Children under the age of 13 should not be performing any kind of labor, it is heartbreaking and uncommon to see child laborers under the age of 8 in some countries and this is partly due to ignorance - people need to understand just how fragile the brain is before full development (which doesn't even hit until our early 20's). Hazardous child labor is unjustifiable and needs to be addressed globally. I think that legally mandating education for children under age 13 is a good option.
ReplyDeleteThe regulations and laws for child labor need to be enforced. From what I've read in this blog, there are too many negative effects on children's health and well-being for any child to be working in such hazardous conditions. Thirteen is still a young age to be working, but in cases where the family in extremely poor and needs all the help they can get from their children, then working after they've received some sort of an education seems reasonable. As long as they have actually received the education they were promised.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that my generation will see that happening. I'm graduating my senior year of high school soon, People see this as something out of a horror story and refuse to believe there can actually be something done about it. But others living life with a more realistic view see this as something of a very big challenge. Hard to accomplish since corporate power is corrupt and the needs of the few outway the needs of the many. But this can be done I think.
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