Child Labour

Prepared by: Maryam Ejaz

BBA PART – 2BUSINESS ENGLISH

MAM ROSHNA

What is child

labour?

Child labour is making a child work more than the legal

amount of hours depending on their

age. It is usually forceful and illegal,

by physically, mentally or socially harming the child.

Child Labour in the Industrial Revolution

•Many factory workers were children who worked long hours and were often treated badly by the supervisors or overseers.•A young child did not earn much, so the owner hired many children for cheap labor.

•Many children worked in the cotton mills or mines.• The mill owners often took in orphans to their workhouses, they lived at the mill and were worked as hard as possible. •They spent most of their working hours at the machines with little time for fresh air or exercise.

•It took time for the government to decide that working children ought to be protected by laws. •Child labour in the industrial revolution happened in developing cities, such as London and in other urbanizations in Britain.

Child Labour in Modern Time

It is estimated that there are 218 million child labourers around the world, who work long hours under harsh, dangerous and exploitative conditions.

•Globally the majority of child labourers come from the poorer sections of society.

• 73 million working children are less than 10 years old.• Every year, 22,000 children die in work-related accidents.• The largest number of working children-122 million-are in the Asia-Pacific region.

Why is child Labour Happening?

Child Labour happens because:1. Of poverty in families – the family may

send their child to work for more income.2. Bonded Labour – when parents send their

children to work to pay off their debt.3. Children can be manipulated or beaten

and do not fight back.4. Children don’t form labour unions.5. They are obedient and submissive.6. Children don’t need to be trained or

skilled to perform many of the jobs they are given.

7. Nimble fingers and small statures could prove beneficial to some jobs.

8. There is usually a surplus of children, so employees may force them to work for them.

9. Poor families cannot invest in education for children, so they are forced to work.

10. Many children do not have adequate school facilities, so they work.

11. Also, children are hired because employers can get away with paying them lower wages.

12. Child labor is encouraged by buying goods produced or manufactured by children.

Why is child Labour Happening?

What was Done to Stop Child Labor In the Industrial

Revolution

During the Industrial Revolution, some legislation was passed in efforts to protect the employment of children. Some laws included were:

Cotton Factories Regulation Act of 1819 (which set the minimum working age at 9 and maximum working hours at 12)

And the Ten Hours Bill of 1847 (which limited working hours to 10 for children and women).

Later, many countries banned child labour.

What is Being Done Today to Stop Child Labour?

There are many programs trying to eliminate child labour. Some include:

The International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), to focus on the progressive elimination of child labor.

IPEC currently has operations in 88 countries.

Free the Children is an organization that is also working to eliminate child labor.The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is the biggest human rights treaty in history. 191 countries agreed to recognize the right of children.

Things you can do yourself to try and stop child labor include:•Not buying products made by child labor.•Supporting programs or donating money.•Sponsor children•Buy fair trade products.•Raise awareness to others about the issue of child labor.

Whether these steps are successful?

DRAWBACKS

The Laws on child labour may seem inadequate because even though more than130 country signed an agreement, to some countries these laws are still confusing or vague and not enforced.

The laws to regulate child’s health and safety at work are rarely enforced.

Poor infrastructure like systematic birth registration in the developing countries fails to recognise the actual age of the children and employers take advantage of such loopholes.

Reduction rate of child labour is not satisfactory i.e. From 2004 to 2008 only 3% reduction of child labour.

Achievements

The enforcement of Laws on child labour has been increased, for example, in UK Fast food giants McDonald’s have been fined £12,400 for allowing children to work there.

Third world countries had also enacted the Labour Act prohibiting employment of children under 14 years.

Garment manufacturers of Bangladesh also put an end to the employment of children under 14 years in their 200 factories because there was a threat of boycott from the consumer countries..

Working children, aged 5-17 7.4 millionWorking children, aged 5-14 4.7 millionChild labourers, aged 5-17 3.2 millionChildren engaged in hazardous labour, aged 5-17

1.3 million

Child domestic workers 421,000Percentage of Children (aged 5-14) engaged in child labour (2007)

National Slum Tribal

12.8 19.1 17.6

Child labour in Bangladesh

What is the current situation?

Activity status of children 7-14 years in Sub-aharan Africa (the highest share worldwide of child labourers) in 2009

International key regulations had a great impact as it impliedly enforced governments to enact some laws in order to protect children from child labour.

The children of third world countries are the main victims, so its the duty of these international organisations and first world countries to help these children as their government cannot ensure the basic requirements of a child.

However, it will not be wise to stop working of children, rather proper rehabilitation of their living will be more preferable

Conclusion

References

http://www.nettlesworth.durham.sch.uk/time/victorian/vindust.htm

www.freethechildren.com en.wikipedia.org/wiki/child_labour www.unicf.org eh.net/encyclopedia/article/

turttle.labour.child.britain http://www.ilo.org/ipec/programme/lang--

en/index.htm