CHILD LABOR AROUND THE WORLD - PAKISTAN, LATIN AMERICA

By Naveed Naseer

What is Child Labor?

Child labor means the employment of child considered ren at regular and sustained labor. It is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is declared illegal in many countries. It is inappropriate in many developed countries if a child below a certain age works. The Western states have even set a minimum age limit for hiring the children.

When a child works during early age because of the emotional, social, financial pressure, works overtime or makes himself ready to work at a very low wage, it is known as Child Labor.

UNICEF defines “child” as anyone below the age of 18, and “child Labor” as some type of work performed by children below age 18.

Child Labor is an internationally recognized hot issue which affects many countries of the world directly or indirectly, but, it is very common in Latin America, Africa and Asia. According to several Asian countries’ 1/10th of the manpower comprises of children. The ratio of child labor is 61% in Asia, 32% in Africa, 7% in Latin America, 1% in US, Canada, Europe and other wealthy and developed countries.

Reasons Why Child Labor Evolved

Child Labor is a result of multitude of socio-economic factors and has its roots in poverty, lack of chances, high rate of population, unemployment, irregular distribution of wealth and resources and outdated social customs.

According to an analysis conducted by the government of Pakistan and published at hec .gov .pk (the higher education commission of Pakistan) shows that the poverty has increased roughly from 30% to 40% during the past decade.Consider that if 40% of a country’s population is earning their life below the poverty-line in which the people are deprived of basic necessities of life such as clothing, shelter, food, education and medication, the children of such families will be forced to become ‘Laborers’ or ‘workers’ in order to survive.

Another reason of child labor in Pakistan is that our people have no security of social life. There is no aid plan or allowance for children.Class-based education system is another reason for increasing child Labor. Villagers have lack of standardized education systems and as a result, child Labor is increasing day by day in rural areas. The government has not put its laws yet into practice to stop the child labour. Employers after taking advantage of child labor, put additional burden of work on them, whereas such children,despite increasing poverty, unemployment and other problems, are pressed to do anything and everything for their livelihood and the survival of their families.

Solutions to Eradicate Child Labor

Primary education –free of cost

Child Labor is an intricate problem which needs a wide range of solutions.This problem can be solved by making education compulsory because there is no better way to prevent it. We are in need of required completion of at least the primary education of the children.

The present government of Pakistan has made basic education compulsory. The government has distributed free books in primary schools along with this so that parents with limited budgets are now able to send their children to schools. The most important point is that this decision must be acted upon at all levels. Child Labor is strictly needed to be stopped in this country. Awareness must be hoist and parents ought to divert their attention to the education of their children. Child Labor Laws should be implemented strictly. The educational system of this country must be restructured according to national development goals. The orphans and other deserving children,who cannot afford school expenses, must be helped financially on a stretched out basis.

Providing short-term income and long-term prospects to poor families

Some children work as guides for tourists, sometimes they also work as waiters in shops and restaurants. Some are forced to do tedious and repetitive jobs such as assembling boxes,polishing shoes or cleaning. However, most child labor occurs in the informal sector rather than in factories and sweatshops,such as selling many things on the streets and roads, in agriculture or hidden away in houses far from the reach of official labor inspectors and media. And they work in all types of weather for minimal pay. As long as there is family poverty there will be child labor.

There are an estimated 158million children aged 5 to 14 in child labor worldwide according to recent research. Poor families often depend upon the labors of their children for survival because mostly it is their only source of income. We should provide them short-term income as well as long-term prospects. The root cause of child labor is parental poverty. The ban on child labor will increase adult wages and so compensate adequately the households of the poor children.

We have been given the wisdom and good judgment to observe, think and to make conclusions upon the signs of the nature we see in the universe. Children are the most beautiful and purest creation in this world. They are totally innocent and are the future of any nation. It is our duty to give facilities to children who wish to get education and be aware about this social evil. We should keep in notice if there any case of child labor. We should help them financially as much as we can.