Child labour

What is child labour?

Child labour occurs where children who should be in full-time education are in employment instead. Employment is considered to be full time commercial work that adds to a specific person's well being and that specific person's families' income. In developed countries government regulation is relatively strong and businesses are less likely to use child labour. However, in developing countries, such as Africa and Asia, government regulation is weak. This means that a businesses' use of child labour is widespread.

Child labour photos

Child labour statistics and examples

An estimated 8.4 million children are trapped in the worst forms of child labour that, under any circumstance, is considered unacceptable for children. Across the world, millions of children do extremely hazardous work in harmful conditions, putting their health, education, personal and social development, and even their lives at risk.

At least 13% of the world’s children are working, 94% of those are in the developing world countries.

Up to 250 million children under the age of 14 work across the globe in a wide range of occupations.

A Chinese company has been stripped off its licence to make merchandise for the 2008 Beijing Olympic games after admitting that it used child workers.

Child labour can be found in nearly every industry. For example, nearly 70% of child labour occurs in agriculture, fishing, hunting and forestry. Children have been found harvesting oranges in Brazil, cocoa in the Ivory Coast, tea in Argentina and Brazil and fruits and vegetables in the U.S. Children in commercial agriculture can face long hours in extreme temperatures, health risks from pesticides, little or no pay and inadequate food and water.

About 15 million children are estimated to be directly involved in manufacturing goods for export. This includes children working in carpet making factories, glass blowing units and making fireworks with bare hands in India. Pakistan and Egypt are also directly involved. For example, clothing is sewn in Bangladesh, glass and bricks are made in India and surgical instruments are made in Pakistan.

Children as young as 6 or 7 years old break up rocks, and wash, sieve, and carry ore. 9 year old children work underground setting explosives and carrying loads. Children work in Colombia mining gold and emeralds, coal in Mongolia and Charcoal in Brazil.

Most child labour (60%) occurs in Asia. This is shown on the globe below:

Child labour in relation to international business activities

Nike and Gap were exposed on Panorama in November 2000 as they had child workers stitching products in a Cambodian factory, in breach of their employment codes.

Business Week also exposed appalling conditions in a factory in Guangdong, southern China, which makes handbags for Walmart. The retailer had a code of conduct that appeared to have been ignored by its supplier.

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