Fueling the use of Child Labor
It is roughly estimated that over 211 million children worldwide are forced into some sort of labor, but it is difficult to accurately estimate. It is shown that out of the estimated 211 million, 4–8-year-old children make up 20% of the workforce of child labor. It is not surprising as to why countries such as Bangladesh and India are known for their use of cheap labor but the ever stagnate reality of poverty continues to lure in more children to work rather than attend school for the sake of surviving.
Child labor has always been a highly controversial topic to the media and public, constantly being deemed as an act of immorality and ethics understand for the children and their growth development. fortunately, benefitted academic opportunities have been introduced and has helped encourage more students to attend school to further their education, but there is still a large fluctuation due to the economic inequality gap that lessens the capabilities to juggle both work and school.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released information stating that over 60% of children between the ages 4–16 years old that are harmed on the job work with their families, usually in the agricultural industry. It is not to say that the other forms of child labor such as factories or construction are not just as hazardous. Most facilities that harbor children for labor provide little to no health benefits or lunch breaks as well as a lack of safety inspections to ensure their safety.
Despite the portrayal of child labor regularly shown in factory settings by mass media, a majority of children actually work within the agricultural industry. That is not to say it is not just as dangerous, but it is also found that most children working in agriculture work under their family, meaning they work without a wage, but to provide for the family as a whole. Even with the enforcement of labor laws in 3rd world countries, there are exemptions towards children who work for the family, wherever their age is.
So How do we stop it? Efforts to remove and ban the use of child labor has already been attempted and has backfired in the past. Children view work as a potentially better alternative for survival rather than schooling which helps in the long run. With the removal of child labor, children would flood the streets, unable to provide for themselves as well as their families, possibly resorting to other jobs such as prostitution in order to get by. Instead, regulation and supplying more benefits such as lesser work shifts for children as well as health benefits could encourage a better future for the children. Enforcing the labor laws to help ensure safety and assist in the overall development of the children working can make sure they can support himself while also working towards a better future.
