Open Day 2014 Debate Topic Introduction

A Story  Iqbal Masih was 4 years old when he was sold into slavery by his family to pay for a debt. He was forced to work in a carpet factory 12 hours a day while being beaten for six years, stunting his growth.  In 1992 Iqbal ran away and managed to join a freedom day celebration, where a group protesting child labour helped to free Iqbal and took him to the USA where he was awarded a human rights award.  Iqbal then returned to his country to continue to protest against child labour, where he was shot by a gunman hired by his factory bosses.

Child Labour  Our topic for the open day debate will be discussing child labour and ways of regulating and preventing exploitation of children

What is Child Labour?  Work that is done by children. It can range from productive work that does not interfere with school or health to work that is destructive and or exploitive.

Who is a Child Labourer?  Person who performs economic activity when under the age of 15, as defined by the UN.  Good labour: Apprenticeships, light work after school  Bad labour: Harmful to school attendance, physical health, and mental health

Age limits  Age limits for work vary from country to country  Egypt: 12  Philippines: 14  Hong Kong: 15  Many countries distinguish between light and hazardous work, with light being age 12, and hazardous being

Hazardous Work  71% of child labour is in agriculture and fishing  In agriculture children can face dangerous machinery or chemicals, heavy lifting and extreme temperatures  In fishing children might dive up to depths of 60 meters  8.3% of children work in manufacturing where they can be exposed to noxious fumes, poisonous chemicals and radiant heat

The UN and Child Labour  During the debate you will represent delegations from the UN, specifically the UN Organ UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund)  UNICEF has contributed to several international treaties banning child labour and identifying measures for governments to take

Current Situation  Though many conventions have been adopted by the UN as a result of UNICEF’s work, the problem remains widespread, mainly due to the issue of enforcing the laws that are adopted.

Nearly one in six children aged 5– 14 are engaged in child labour in the world  Percentage of children aged 5–14 engaged in child labour 2012, by region

2010 Statistics  Child labour continues to decline, but only modestly – a three percent reduction in the four year period covered by the new estimates ( ). In the previous report (covering the period 2000 – 2004), there had been a 10 per cent decrease.  The global number of child labourers stands at 215 million, only seven million less than in 2004.

2010 Statistics  Among 5-14 year olds, the number of children in child labour has declined by 10 percent and the number of children in hazardous work by 31 per cent.  Whilst the number of children in hazardous work, often used as a proxy for the worst forms of child labour, is declining, the overall rate of reduction, has slowed.  There are still 115 million children in hazardous work.

ILO Suggestions  Another UN organization, the ILO (International Labour Organization) suggests every country perform the following 5 actions to address child labour:  1. Create a National Plan of action  2. Perform research into child labour within the country  3. Increase awareness about the prevalence and impact of child labour  4. Create a broad social alliance to encourage governments, NGOs, the media, the private sector, etc. to work together  5.Create an institution designed to address and manage the enforcement of laws against child labour

UNICEF’s Suggestions  Immediately end hazardous and exploitive child labour  Provide free and compulsory education  Expand legal protection  Register all children at birth  Extend data collection and monitoring  Develop codes of conduct and procurement policies

Another Story  Bina Akhtar was 10 years old when she started working in a garment factory in Bangladesh. Five years later, thanks to the efforts of the UN and banning workers under 14 in Bangladesh, Bina was able to attend school for the first time in her life. Bina was one of 50,000.

Your Turn  Though significant improvements have been made in the past decade regarding child labor, the fact is that efforts are slowing, and 250 million worldwide are still exposed to unhealthy work.  So, what can you, as delegates of the UN representing the UNICEF committee, do to help?

Questions to Consider  Is child labor used in your country or region of the world? What is your government doing about child labor?  How can we draw the world’s attention to child labor and the ongoing process of eliminating this issue?  What methods can we use to educate children in poverty stricken areas?  What are some of the basic standards that should be implemented globally with respect to child labor?