Lauren Hadjimarcou

 International Labour Organization  “…as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development.”  Places emphasis on the real and potential negative consequences associated with child labor.  Work must meet two criteria to be classified  1 st is mental, physical, and social danger  2 nd is schooling Child labor applies to children under 18 yrs

 ILO  168 million children in the world performed work that was considered child labor  Unicef  “in the least developed countries, nearly 1 in 4 children are engaged in labour that is considered detrimental to their health and development.” 11 % of all children are still involved in labor Half of those children are involved in hazardous labor which includes slavery, child prostitution, and the production and trafficking of illicit drugs.

 Examples:  Manufacturing plants in Mexico and Latin America and migrant farmworker children in agriculture in the United States Agriculture was the single largest industry where most child labor occurs at 59%

 Most developed countries have laws against child labor but the very definition of child labor is often challenged and debated, especially with regard to developing countries.  In Opposition  Children do worse in school and have a higher risk of health problems  Mental and physical stress over a lifetime  In Support  Contributes to the family’s overall household income. Without this income, basic needs would be hard to meet such as adequate shelter and food on the table.  Some argue that some forms of child labor are acceptable  Differing cultures and beliefs  Can develop good work ethic Both opponents and proponents agree that slavery, prostitution, and engaging in illicit activities are unacceptable forms of child labor.

 Tougher laws against child labor and the economic exploitation of children  International Labour Organization’s conventions have helped to lower child labor rates  Awareness programs for parents and employers help shed light on this issue  Well-paying jobs for adults Solution: greater investment in mandatory education, training programs, and free health care.

Addressing the basic causes of child labor such as poverty and famine might go a long way in helping children grow in a healthy environment that is full of opportunities. “Child labor and poverty are inevitably bound together and if you continue to use the labor of children as the treatment for the social disease of poverty, you will have both poverty and child labor to the end of time.” -Grace Abbott