I Introduction
1.1 History
1.2 Point of View
1.3 Adjusting Questions
1.4 The Reliability of The Sources
II The Use of Child Labour
2.1 Definition
2.2 How Much
2.3 In What Kind of Situations
2.4 Why
2.41 The Influence of The
Countries
2.5 Where
III Conventions Denying the
Use of Child Labour
3.1 The United Nations Convention
on the Rights of the Child in 1989
3.11 History and Structure
3.12 The Main Articles Considering
Child Labour in the Convention of 1989
3.2 The Conventions of The International
Labour Office
IV Conferences and Organisations
4.1 Conferences
4.11 30th October
1997 in Oslo
4.111 The Shadow Conference
4.12 June 1998 in Geneva
4.2 Organisations
4.21 Anti-Slavery International
4.22 UNICEF
V Examples
5.1 In Pakistan
5.2 In Indonesia
5.3 Products Made by Children
Are Imported to Finland Also
5.4 Swedish Company IKEA
5.5 In The Middle East
VI Attempts to Reduce The
Use of Child Labour
6.1 What ILO
Does
6.11 IPEC’s actions
6.2 The Kids Campaign to Build
A School to Iqbal in Pakistan
6.3 The Collection of The Finnish
Taksvärkki ry
6.4 Kesko Monitors The Production
of Their Products Accurately
6.5 What Ordinary People Can
Do
XI References
11.1 Printed Sources
11.2 Non-printed Sources
1.1 History
People have always exerted child labour. But just some thirty or forty
years we have been worried about how children feel when they are abused.
When the agriculture was invented small children were used in cultivation
in fields. Children probably made holes in the clay land where adults put
grains. Children have been sexual slaves in the ancient Rome and Greece.
If child’s parents were slaves the child is also a lifetime slave. This
is the problem of category society. The serfdom was really common hundreds
of years ago. Also during the Middle Ages. Children have been used as soldiers
in Africa tribe wars and they think it is natural. We haven’t thought a
lot of the use of child labour, but when the UN made The Convention of
the Human Rights in 1948 some people started to think if a child is a human
being or something else. The Rights of The Child become a global issue
in 1989 when The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child was
adopted. Now it’s a crime if children work. I think that it is right and
we have to guarantee in future more peaceful atmosphere for children to
grow up.
I decided to examine my problem as a western-country person. That means for me that I have just a few choices to take effect on child labour. I am however against child labour. I found out a little bit how the world wide organisations can promote not using child labour and other forms how to fight against the use of child labour. And so I try to be in their situation and think how they could promote children’s rights and especially fighting against the use of child labour.
1.3 Adjusting Questions
I try to give answer to following questions. Why do the people and
the manufactures use child labour? Where child labour is used and by whom?
How can we remove using child labour from Earth? What conventions denies
the use of child labour? I also give some figures about how much child
labour is used. I present some examples and tell some attempts which are
trying to promoting the situation of the child labour. There are also information
about some international conferences which try to promote children welfare
and prevent the use of child labour.
1.4 The Reliability of The Sources
I think that my sources are really reliable because printed sources have been published in a public newspapers and they have rather tight control in publishing. It means that they don’t publish anything. They check the facts of the article and then they made publishing decisions. The subjects of the articles I use in my study are so combustible that the staff of the newspaper really has to think can they publish an article like that. So they only publish articles which area known to be absolutely proven. Alaraudanjoki’s examination is very reliable because he has said: ’The Resource produces knowledge, which can be used to political aims… so I must really think what to write.’ Finnish magazines Kumppani and Kehitys utveckling treat their affairs very skilled I think. There are the name of the author on the end of the articles so authors really must stand behind their words.
Internet sources are also reliable. I think so because I used the web pages of the high respected international organisations. Their reports are very critical and in some reports they even criticise their own text and figures. These organisations make thorough clear ups about the things they are researching. They don’t have any means to make an unreal effect on anybody. I think there’s no need to doubt my sources.
When we are talking about the use of child labour it is important to determine what is child labour. It is very hard, because some cultures, especially in Africa, think that it is normal when children help adults in agriculture and domestic jobs. Whereas in Europe people think that it is definitely child labour. ILO determine that child labour is: Work done by kids full-time under the age of 15. Work that prevents kids from attending school, such as unlimited or unrestricted domestic work. And work that is dangerous for kids and that is hazardous to their physical, mental or emotional health. And ILO determinates also what isn’t child labour: Light work or chores and other clubs done after school. Apprenticeship or internship opportunities. And helping out the family farm or business, if it doesn't interfere with educational opportunities.
World wide statistics usually tell about how many children aged between 10 and 14 or 5 and 14 are working. It is also really hard to say sometimes what is the use of child labour and when children just give a little help for their parents in domestic jobs. In the above paragraph I tried to give a definition for that but still the line is very thin.
In 1997 there were about 250 million working children in the world. Here children means under 14 years old people. And one-third of them are working in dangerous circumstances. At least 120 million of them are working full rime. Year after that ILO estimated that there are at least 73 million working children aged between 10 and 14. The organisation also estimates that the figure 73 million can actually be hundreds of million caused by defective statistics.
2.3 In What Kind of Situations
The biggest part of child labour is used in agriculture. Ninety percents of child workers work in that area. Working in agriculture is often a full-time work and so it inconveniences children education. Children also work as servants and in all kinds of factories. Service sector is the fastest growing form of child labour. The worst working area is in pornography. That is one of the most harmful works for children. They can die in AIDS and if that doesn’t happen their mental health won’t ever become normal again.
Often people think that the main reason for the use of child labour is that the leaders of the manufactures want to produce their productions as cheaply as they can and using children instead of adults is much cheaper. People also think that children’s "nimble fingers" are needed for example in making carpets and bangles. This is the usual answer to question, ‘Why do employers hire child labour?’
The ILO has done an empirical study about this and they have noticed that the need of children’s "nibble fingers" is not as big as people world wide think. ILO researched over 2000 weavers and they observed that children were no more skilled than adults. At the same time they noticed that the finest carpets are made by adults. Obviously the use of child labour is not essential part in making good carpets.
Also in financial answer people are usually wrong. In reality the use of child labour doesn’t really make lower the costs of the employment force. Usually manufactures only pay to children from 5-to-10 per cents lower wages. So manufacturers and mediators could easily effect on that. Only very small manufactures have some financial benefit if they use children instead of adults. Families of the workers have the biggest financial befit, because they have more sources of money.
In the light of that research a major reason for hiring children is obviously non economic. Children are easier to deal with because they are less aware of their rights, less troublesome, more compliant, more trustworthy and less likely to absent themselves from the work.
The UNICEF’s regional chief of South-Asia Urban Jonsson says that the main reason for child labour is category society. In developing countries the poor people are forced to put their children to work instead of school, because that is the only way how they can get money to buy food. In our countries this problem is passed over about fifty or hundred years ago continues Jonsson.
2.41 The Influence of The Countries
Other countries have other demands to child labour. The culture and the religion have major effect on employment culture. So people accept different terms in legislation. Also if child labour has been used for years in one country it is hard to give up it fast. For example India’s employment minister M. Arunachalam said that industrial countries should understand the difficulty of the developing countries. He warned industrial countries not to use any sanctions. These could only have negative effect on the health of the child worker. If boycotts were used the owners of the factors could dismiss children and their families will suffer. Countries like India don’t have enough money to organise education to all the children. There are 18 million child workers in India. And there are 55 million children. So the measure of education places should grow very much. Every developing countries have same kinds of problems. Also if immediately the employment force reduced 18 million workers the industrial of the country would be in big problem. The food production figures would go down and then countries would need lot of external help.
Generally child labour is only a problem of developing countries. But the problem is increasing in industrial countries also. The report of the Reuters says that child labour is coming more common in industrial countries like United Kingdom and United States of America. The addition is coming especially in service sector because there will be more part-time jobs and employers need flexible labour. This is still just a little problem when comparing the child labour situation in the developing countries.
More than 73 million children age 10 to 14 were economically active. Which means that they are child workers. 73 million is 13.2 per cent of all 10-to-14 year olds around the world. The biggest part of child workers are in Asia, Africa and Latin America. There are 44.6 million child workers in Asia. Which is 13 per cent. This percent rate means how many per cents out of the whole labour are children. In Africa 23.6 million children works, which is the highest rate at 26.3 per cent. In Latin America 5.1 million children works, that’s 9.8 per cent check statistical information from the appendixes.
Assefa Bequele from the departmental director and child labour specialist at the ILO says that this doesn’t tell the whole story, because no reliable figures under 10 years old children are available. Actually there can be hundreds of millions workers in the world right now she continues.
III Conventions Denying the Use of Child Labour
3.1 The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989
The first Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted over 50 years ago, exactly on 10th December 1948. The main reason for it’s birth was that people never wanted to feel again the pains of the World War II. At that time the convention wasn’t considered on child labour. The convention has been changed several times and the latest big change has been made in 1989. At that time the UN separated rights of the children from to the own convention from the rights of human. The planing of the Convention of the Child began in 1979. The initiative was made by Polish. Work for The Convention on the Rights of the Child had already began in 1979 by establishing the Commission on Human Rights, that was the main important governing body in preparing the Convention. Year 1979 is called International Year of the Child.
At present only two states haven’t either ratified or signed the convention that was made in 1989. They area the Cook Island and Somalia. Another interesting point is that USA has signed the convention, but hasn’t ratified the convention. Signing the Convention means that state has no legal obligations yet, until it ratifies it. Ratification means that the state should ad the decrees to it’s domestic laws. After that state gives letter to UN’s headquarters and 30 days after that The Convention becomes legally binding in the country. Because the UN has no legal rights in countries, which haven’t ratified the Convention UN can’t have effect on those countries. Still The Convention can be kept as an universal declaration and all the humans should respect it. The convention has 54 articles, which treat under 18 years old person rights and deny different kind of abusing. The main things are, that it tries to give opportunities to child to develop his or her right potential, get free from hunger and want, neglect, exploitation or other abuses.
The first convention didn’t refer to child labour very much but there were still some articles which treated children’s position in a work life and children’s rights to get education. For example the article 26.1, which is still in use almost just like it was at that time. It guarantees that everyone has the right to education and it must be free, at least on the elementary stage. It was also determined as compulsory. That didn’t refer to child labour at all.
The first big completion was in 1966. At the time provisions about economic, social and cultural rights were added. Then the first articles, which contains provisions on child labour were added. Article 10.3 determines that children and young persons should be protected from economic and social exploitation. Which means work is harmful to their morals or health or dangerous to life or might hamper their normal development should be punishable by law. States should also set age limits so the use of child labour could be prohibited and punishable by law. This article is still in the main convention. Almost all states have ratified this article, but they haven’t set the age limits. Now age limits have been determined. In developing countries the minimum age limit is usually 14 years and in industrial countries it is 15 years. Nowadays the underlying principle of the Convention of children is that always when making decisions that touches children the first purpose should be the best purpose from children aspect.
3.12 The Main Articles Considering Child Labour in the Convention of 1989
Convention has many decrees which concern civil rights and freedoms, family environment and parental guidance, basic health and welfare and education, leisure and recreation. I only concentrate to decrees which applies to child labour. This is the most important convention which is trying to remove using child labour. In spite of 190 governments have endorsed this convention there are still about 250 million working children aged between 5 and 14 of which at least 120 million are working full time.
The most important things which consider child labour are in article 32. There are also some things which refer to the use of child labour in other articles. There said in article 32.1 that States Parties recognise the right of the child to be protected from economic exploitation and from performing any work that it is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child’s education, or to be harmful to the child’s health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development. Though almost all the countries have ratified this convocation there are still plenty of countries that doesn’t obey this convocation.
There are some obligations on the governments and 190 states have endorsed those in the article 32.2. It requires that states must ensure the implementation of this article. They must provide for a minimum age for admission to employment, provide for appropriate regulation of the hours and conditions of employment and they must provide for penalties or other sanctions to ensure the effective enforcement of this article. States must prescribe laws to ensure the implementation.
Article 34 requires that every child must be free from sexual exploitation, including commercial exploitation, which means child prostitution. Article 38 guarantees that children under 14 can’t be recruited as soldiers, which is determined as child bondage. So states has a legal choice to recruit 15-year old children to armed forces. This has caused a lot of conversation and UN committee is discussing a new agreement which would increase this age limit to higher. Maybe in the ILO’s conference in 1999 this age limit will be increased.
Nowadays UN, ILO and other organisations which are trying to promote children’s rights are trying to make these international standards higher. At the same time some states has a tendency to ignore less these standards.
3.2 The Conventions of The International Labour Office
International Labour Office or ILO is branch organisation of the UN. It’s line of business considers all kind of forms of labour. It is trying to deny the use of child labour and it also has an effect on adults labour conditions. It is working also against slavery and other forms of forced labour. ILO has done many conventions and the main convention on child labour is the Minimum Age Convention. The ILO’s conventions goes side by side with UN’s conventions and they are complementary to each other.
The Minimum Age Convention (convention 138)determines that states are not allowed to use children below 14 as employers. And children under 18 are not allowed to work in conditions, that is likely to jeopardise the health, safety or morals. The convention also includes an exception, which allows that children aged 12 and 13 may work in light works in the countries where the minimum age limit is 14. Light work is not really specified. Only the time limit is determined. Light work should not exceed two hours a day and during school days the work time of light work and school time should not exceed seven hours.
Other ILO‘s conventions prohibits all forms of slavery, such as trafficking of children, forced or compulsory labour, debt bondage and serfdom. The use, engagement or offering of a child in illegal activities, for prostitution and production of pornography.
IV Conferences and Organisations
4.11 30th October 1997 in Oslo
The government of Norway, ILO and UNICEF arranged in 1997 in Oslo a conference against the use of child labour. The participants were from 40 industrial and developing countries and several representatives of the trade union movements. There were also participants from many countries in which child labour is used. For example Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and several countries from Africa and South-America. Finnish Helinä Melkas from the labour ministry participated in the conference. She thought that the program of the conference is very notable when battling against the use of child labour.
The main points in the program considered about educating children. They demand that every state must draw up and carry out program that includes free basic education for everybody. The conference also urges that states should standardise their legislation with UN’s international convention. The conference also required that in the international level the industrial countries should concentrate more on removing the poverty from the developing countries.
At the same time with the support of Save the Children organisation there were twenty child workers in Oslo. Three of those talked in front of the conference and they told their opinions about child labour. Children’s opinions were very surprising. They didn’t demand the abolishment of child labour. They thought that children must have right to work, because they must help their poor families. One of the child workers, Dibou Faye from Senegal, left from his home village when he was 7 and now when he is 13-year old and very proud about his job. He works on an average 10 hours a day as a servant in one family. He doesn’t claim his working at all. Probably if the same questions were asked from the child prostitutes they wouldn’t say the same. Small children doesn’t understand the need of education.
That is ILO’s 86th International labour conference. It is the most important conference that has been held in the 1990s against child labour. The main article in that conference was to fight against the most annoying forms of child labour and strengthen existing standards. The most annoying forms are heavy work in mines and quarries, child pornography and prostitution, bonded and forced labour and other activities such as work with dangerous chemicals and machinery.
Delegates from 157 countries participated to the conference. They established a 181-member committee which plans the main articles. New convention is planed to consider about eliminating the most harmful forms of child labour. The convention is planed to get ready in 1999 conference and adopted then. In new convention child will mean people under 18 years. The "worst" forms were determined also. They are all forms of slavery and practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, forced or compulsory labour, debt bondage and serfdom; the use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution, for production of pornography or for pornographic performances, as well as illegal activities, such as the production and trafficking of drugs; and any other type of work or activity which, could jeopardize the health, safety or morals of children. The conference required that states should establish schools to workers and by this way they could reduce the use of child labour. And increase children’s knowledge of their rights.
The World is full of organisations which are battling against the use of child labour. Most of those organisations are also trying to promote other children’s rights or human rights for example Amnesty International. I don’t introduce it because they haven’t had at an early date any campaigns against the use of child labour. ASI and UNICEF are highly respected organisations in their working areas. Other very notable organisation is ILO. I have already told about their convention and more about ILO’s attempts are in chapters 6.1 and 6.2.
4.21 Anti-Slavery International
ASI started to work against child labour in the 1970s. Now it is a global organisation and it plays a leading role in child labour questions. It researches child labour in Europe, Africa and Asia. It’s main missions are child slavery and child bonded labour. ASI is a non-governmental organisation. It has built grass-roots network with local organisations. ASI is a sub-group of UN and it also works with ILO. ASI has made a lot of campaigns against intolerable forms of child labour. One of their biggest campaigns started on 20th November 1997 and culminated to Geneva conference in June 1998.
UNICEF was established in 1946. At the first the meaning was to give relief to European children mangled by The World War II. UNICEF was enclosed to UN in 1995. At that time UNICEF’s missions increased. It also was working to improve children’s living conditions all over the world. In 1992 UNICEF’s Budget was 800 millions USA dollars. In Finland Finnish UNICEF-foundation represents the global organisation. It works for all children’s rights including against the use of child labour. UNICEF is monitoring that The Convention on the Rights of the child is carried out. It have operations with other child defending organisations. The Committee on the Rights of the Child works subjected to UNICEF. They have 10 participants and the Committees main mission is now to monitor the realization of the Convention.
There are large agricultural estates in Pakistan in Sindh province. A couple of rich landlords owns them. There work families including children in a never-ending cycle of debt to the landlords. Some children are in jails and that prevents their parents to escape. This problem is known all over the Pakistan and it has been denied by law. The landlords has got lot of political power and the authorities don’t care what they do. There are thousands of cases of bonded labour in Pakistan, half of them are children, have been reported to authorities, but they haven’t done anything. Even the Chief Ministers have been conscious about this problem, but they don’t care of it
There are about six millions child workers in the Indonesia. One example for the use of child labour is fish processing factories. There are at least 2000 factories like this example in Sumatra using bonded child labour. Children are stranded five miles off-shore. They work in 3 month shifts catching and processing fish on wooden platforms. There are no working times. Children examine and empty nets when ever the leaders orders. Children get their salary once in three months and sometimes they don’t get anything. Most of the children are abducted to work. The work is very hazardous to children physical and mental health. Children have no chance to escape. Sexual and psychological abuse is common and adults use it as much as they want. The case was founded in 1996 when two bodies of 13 and 14-years-old boys were found from the fishing nets. The platforms are unregistered and totally illegal. The authorities know this but they haven’t done anything. The new president of Indonesia, Habibie, has promised to ratify ILO’s convention 138 in the summer 1999. We’ll see if that’s going to happen and how these decrees are going to carried out.
5.3 Products Made by Children Are Imported to Finland Also
It can be proved that Finland is imported child labour products like tobacco, tea, coffee, carpets, textiles, cotton and footwear. These products are imported predominantly from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Brazil and Columbia. Some of these products are made by children. The child labour is used in doing many products of the supranational companies. The products are cycled from different routes, so it is very difficult to clear up the real origin. Many different national organisations have done the resource in corporation.
The importers has the responsibility for the products they import. The control is currently very hard, because in the EU lands you don’t have to mark the produce country anymore. Some parts of products can be made outside EU by subcontractors and a part of the work can be made in some EU country and so the manufacturer can say that the product is done in EU. So the control is very difficult. In Finland has been taken in use marks that proves that the product has been done without child labour. In this case consumers can also require from shopkeepers the origins of the products and so the origin might be find.
IKEA is a Swedish furniture producer and seller. They have 33400 workers and none of them are children. The problem is that IKEA has subcontractors in Asia. IKEA searches cheap labour and the cheapest labour is children. Subcontractors have workshops where children work six hours a day and seven days a week. The resource has been made by the Swedish television. One of the producers of the program was an ex-IKEA worker. The investigators visited in two subcontractors of IKEA and both of them admitted that they use child labour.
After the program IKEA broke off all their relationships to Filipino company, which used child labour. One of the companies which was presented in the program, from Vietnam, filled up the requirements of the IKEA. The company only showed children aged 14 to 15 in the program and that is legal in Vietnam. Probably the company also have under 14-year-old workers. IKEA says that always when they make a contract with a subcontractor they demand that the subcontractor is not allowed to use child labour in their company. The company should also be prepared for random samples. IKEA buys one third of their products from Asia. One of the IKEA’s chiefs Anders Moberg says that the critic of the program is welcome and now they’ll concentrate more in their subcontractors labour force.
Young children entertain thousands tourists in camel races. The youngest children are 6-year old. Children are trafficked from Asia or Africa. Being jockey in a camel race is extremely dangerous. ASI noticed that many boys died in those races and they made a campaign in the United Arab Emirates. After the campaign the races become illegal. Still after that newspapers have reported about deaths in the races.
VI Attempts to Reduce The Use of Child Labour
ILO began it’s fighting against child labour in 1919. It was established at that time. In 1992 ILO created IPEC. IPEC means International Program on the Elimination of Child Labour. IPEC works with countries to prevent the use of child labour. It has had over 600 anti-child labour campaigns since it was established. The main effect IPEC has in Brazil, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Thailand, Turkey, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Tanzania, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Venezuela, Sri Lanka, Honduras and Dominican Republic.
In India IPEC educates children and adults and the consequence was that IPEC get with the help of IPARW 723 children out of the plantations to school. In Turkey IPEC has built with a local organisation an apprenticeship-training school to Ankara. The school helps children who have been involved in working life to came back to normal life. In Kenya IPEC has taught local children and adults about child labour and they have encouraged children to go to school. In Brazil IPEC has organised school opportunities and health service to children who work in sugar-cane plantations.
6.2 The Kids Campaign to Build A School to Iqbal in Pakistan
One school from Massachusetts began an campaign a few years ago. They wanted to help children in Pakistan. They wanted to build a school to Iqbal. They started an campaign to get money. All 50 states from the USA and 28 countries all over the world gave money to their attempt. At the end of 1997 the school was finished and 252 poor children had an opportunity to go to school.
6.3 The Collection of The Finnish Taksvärkki ry
In the autumn 1997 Finnish Taksvärkki ry decided to collect money for the prostitutes of Thailand. In 1996 ECPAT arranged a meeting against child prostitution in Stockholm. Taksvärkki ry had an idea and next year they arranged with ECPAT a collection in Finland. The –collected money went to the action of the ECPAT. With money they can educate girls and give to them information about venereal diseases. ECPAT works in villages and by that way it tries to prevent adults sending their kids as prostitutes.
6.4 Kesko Monitors The Production of Their Products Accurately
Kesko is the biggest development county importer in Finland. Kesko decided already 20 years ago not to use products which has been made by using child labour. But during last two years they have really started to worry about how their products are produced. Jouko Kuisma is the leader of this sector. It is very hard, because Kesko has 130 000 products which they sell and it’s hard to monitor them all. The most important product groups are coffee and fruit. The monitoring systems of these products are really hard to create and even now they are really unreliable.
Kesko imports predominantly with Swedish company ICA fruit outside Europe. The monitoring is very hard. For example the rout of pears from Chile to Finland. There are many different growers in Chile: private family undertakings, big fruit packing companies. Packing companies buys all the crops and sells them to Ship companies. They are usually supranational companies, which buy their products from all over the world. Viking Fruit buys fruit from Ship companies and brings them to all over the Europe. So penetration to grass-root level is hard. Monitoring the production of the bananas is a hole lot easier. Banana companies are owned by few supranational companies and they have very thick rules, for example Chiquita. Kuisma says that Chiquita hires to permanent works only over 18-year old people. Kuisma says that coffee is often imported from countries which use child labour. The monitoring is almost impossible continues Kuisma. One of the Kesko’s coffee producers is Cargill from USA. They have determined their ethical rules, but they have distant sources of beans and so they can also have products made by children even if they don’t know it.
Kesko imports clothes from the Far East. They us the services of German Sono Centra monitoring company there. Sono Centra monitors the quality of the clothes and the producing methods. The producers have bind themselves not to use child labour. Kesko works in many international organisations, like Business in Society, which are considering to ethic questions. Kesko’s methods have been strongly on hand in those organisations.
6.5 What Ordinary People Can Do
One of the most respected fighter against the us of child labour is a 13-year old Canadian boy Craig Kielburger. He established Free The Children organisation in 1995. Kielburger has travelled a lot and he has held lot of speeches and raised money to efforts to combat child labour. In 1996 there were 75 groups all over the world which belong to Free The Children organisation.
Free The Children organisation is a very good choice for ordinary people to make some effect. They have many useful projects all over the world. Giving donations is easy way to help. If you want you can also participate to the projects of Free The Children. You can read more on their projects from their web pages and you can also give your donation.
Very practical way to help is also boycotting products that are made by children. People should ask from sellers if they know where are their products from and how are they produced. Kehitysmaakauppa in Finland and The Body Shop world wide are definitely shops that sells products which aren’t produced by children. Buying from those shops is also making an influence.
Esa Alaraudanjoki researched in his academic dissertation how work affects to children’s intellectual development. He studied children who weave carpets in Katmandu in Nepal. Usually there are big factories which produce carpets in Katmandu. Alaraudanjoki describes working conditions with one word: ’Terrified!’ Children get food twice or some times three times a day. The nutritive value of the food is low. There are lot of wool dust in the factories and they aren’t generally air conditioned. There aren’t good places to have a wash. The working is physically very burdensome. Work begins at six a clock am. and finishes at 10 a clock pm. If some child hasn’t finishes his work he must continue until it is finished. He’s study was financed by ILO. Without ILO’s pressure to factors the work couldn’t have been done.
The point of the resource was to find out if there is a difference in social and intellectual development working children and children how are in school in the country side. Alaraudanjoki interviewed 275 children aged 10 to 14.There were three sectors in intellectual test: arithmetic, eye-hand co-ordination and word fluency test. The result was that there were no differences in mathematical skills if worker had worked a little time (one year or less) but if he had worked many years he had left behind. In eye-hand co-ordination school children were better otherwise worker’s works are essentially hand works. The biggest difference was in social skills and word fluency. In the test of ability of social skills School children were much better. The work environment limits worker’s permissions to talk. School children were much likely to have contact to externals than workers.
Alaraudanjoki also visited in rehabilitation centre. The arrangers said that their the most important aim is to teach children how to play. The aim of the resource was to have influence on governments. Now they could notice the influence of the child labour and concentrate more on making laws against that.
Childhood without education may lead to lifetime poverty. The illiteracy is also a sign of the use of child labour. Without this problem it would be easier to teach mothers to understand the importance of vaccinate and mother’s milk. Mother’s milk gives good power of resistance to many diseases of infancy. For example there are almost 20 million child workers in Pakistan. Under one third of aged 15 to 24 of the Pakistanis can read.
In the future people and international organisations are working harder to prevent the use of child labour. I think that boycotting the brands which use child labour will become more common. Also states in Africa and Asia will concentrate more in solving this dilemma. More conventions will be adopted and more conferences and demonstrations will be hold. Industrial countries will send development aid to the developing countries and they will build schools and health centres. The impact of this is that children will be more educated and they’ll have more knowledge of their rights. The mechanical agriculture will become more common and remove work places from the agriculture. This will reduce the use of child labour.
There are about 250 million child workers. Main convention which is reducing the use of child labour is UN’s Convention on The Rights Of The Child. The main organisation which is fighting against child labour is UN’s branch organisation ILO and UNICEF. Other important organisations are Anti-Slavery International and Free The Children. Main reasons for the use of child labour are poverty and that children aren’t conscious on their rights. Child labour is a not only a problem in developing countries. There are also children who makes shoes in Italy and Portugal. The use of child labour is only a minimal in industrial countries when comparing to developing countries but the products are also imported to industrial countries. All the adults should respects UN’s convention and should prevent its realization. We can’t just wash our hands and walk away. We can of course close our eyes and turn our backs. But we must just keep asking the origins of the products. Where is this Marli orange juice from? Did the serfdom never really end?
ASI = Anti-Slavery International
ECPAT = End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes
ILO = International Labour Office
IPARW = The Institute for Plantation, Agricultural and Rural Workers
IPEC = International Program on the Elimination of Child Labour
UN = United Nations
UNICEF = United Nations Children’s Fund
USA = United States of America
Source: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/90ipec/index.htm
Back to the main page