...Child Labour, unsolvable? The International Labour Organisation (ILO) defines “Child Labour” as “work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development”. It refers to work that is physically, morally and mentally dangerous for a child to engage in while also often depriving them of some of their basic human rights such as a right to an education. The types of work children are engaging in varies, from children working on a family farm or in the home to situations involving children working in hazardous environments such as manufacturing plants in Asia or mining and quarrying operations in Brazil and Colombia. However there is also a darker side to the child labour problem where many children are forced to engage in activities such as armed conflict, drug trafficking, prostitution and even slavery. It is important to note that child labour is not a thing of the past. It is still a huge problem worldwide. The ILO estimated that in the year 2000 there were as many as 246 million children worldwide engaged in some form of child labour with almost three quarters of these children engaged in the worst forms of child labour such as trafficking and prostitution. As of the year 2012 the worldwide figure has since fallen to approximately 168 million, a huge decrease in the number of children engaged in child labour. Most of these children live within the South East Asia and Pacific region where many children...
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...Development Review 36 : 1 (Spring 1997) pp. 69—86 Note Some Dimensions of Child Labour in Pakistan S. M. YOUNUS JAFRI and RAISHAD Child Labour between 5–14 years is prevalent in Pakistan. But no reliable and comprehensive data on this age group are available to tackle this issue. Though the Labour Force Survey, the main source of labour statistics, includes information on workforce above the age of 10 years, no study on the nature and extent of child labour between 10–14 years of age is available. Accordingly, this study, based on micro data of three labour force surveys from 1990-91 to 1992-93, has been carried out to fill this gap. The study indicates that the quantum of child labour age cohort of 10–14 years grew from 1.8 million in 1990-91 to 2 million in 1992-93. The growth of girl workers is higher as compared to boys. Industrial structure shows that at the national level and in the rural area, agriculture engaged the maximum number of children, followed by services, whereas in the urban area the services sector dominated. As for employment status, most of the children are unpaid family helpers. The occupational pattern indicates that the majority of them work on farms and on production activities. The data reveals that about three-fourths worked beyond the normal 35 hours per week. It is observed that in order to gain a deeper insight into the socio-economic characteristics of child labour, particularly that between 5–14 years, and the hazardous work performed by them...
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...CHILD DOMESTIC LABOUR IN PAKISTAN: OVERVIEW, ISSUES AND TESTABLE HYPOTHESIS BY Sajjad Akhtar Saadiya Razzaq June 2005 CENTRE FOR RESEARCH ON POVERTY REDUCTION AND INCOME DISTRIBUTION (CRPRID) Ist Floor, P-Block, Pak Sectt. Islamabad Phone: 9202868 Fax: 9210254 www.crprid.org Abstract There is a dearth of in-depth empirical and qualitative research about the children in domestic work in Pakistan. The children in domestic work are not recognized as ‘child labour’ by society and by a number of governments, but rather as a normal feature of society. The objective of this paper is to present various dimensions of this neglected segment within the child labour phenomena. The purpose is not only to highlight the similarities and differences in dimensions such as labour market characteristics and its arrangements, working conditions, violence, exploitation from the all inclusive and parent “child labour” category, but also to spell out testable hypothesis that can be the basis for future data collection and empirical analysis on the subject. Our premise is that the labour arrangements of child domestic worker in Pakistan are segmented along non-resident and resident. Thus working conditions, violence, exploitation and dynamics of demand and supply vary with this widely observed segmentation. Although legislations and action plans on child labour in Pakistan, do not include any clause specifically on child domestic labour but the reality is that the vast majority of children...
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...CHILD LABOUR INTRODUCTION Iqbal Masih was born in a small village in rural Pakistan, his father abandoned the family. Iqbal's mother struggled to support her children as a housecleaner, but could not. When he was four years old, Iqbal was sold for $16 into bonded labour at a carpet factory. He worked 12 hours a day and was horribly undernourished and beaten by the foreman many times. When Iqbal was nine years old, a local labour rights organization helped him escape the factory. He was given a place at a school for freed child labourers in Lahore where he'd be safe. Iqbal began telling other child labourers about the law in Pakistan that made bonded labour illegal-they had never heard about this law. When children started to follow Iqbal's example and escape the factories, the owners threatened Iqbal and his family. But he didn't back down. At age 12, he travelled to Sweden and the U.S. to speak out against child labour. When he returned to Pakistan in April, 1995, Iqbal was shot and killed. Iqbal's story reflects the lives of over 200 million children around the world who have been forced to give up school, sports, play and sometimes even their families and homes to work under dangerous, harmful, and abusive conditions. DEFINING CHILD LABOUR: According to the United Nations and the International Labor Organization, child labor is to be considered if: “...States Parties recognize the right of the child to be protected from economic exploitation and from performing any...
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...Child labour Strategic Issue Report Author: Stephie Daniel Angel Introduction Throughout the world, especially in the less-developed countries, an immeasurable amount of children have been involved in what has been called child labour, and its prevalence has now sparked much worry. Child labour can be defined as any work that is harmful to a child’s health or interrupt a child’s education (International Labour Organisation, 2012). According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), there were approximately 153 million child labourers aged 5-14 worldwide in 2008 and this number has increased to 250 million nowadays. Also, ILO investigated that 60 percent of the child labour was engaged in agricultural work such as farming, dairy and fisheries. The rest is in service industries and manufacturing, 25% and 15% respectively (Diallo, et al., 2010). Child labour is difficult to deal with because of the number of sections and categorization of child labour. It is not only because of poverty but also the surrounding societal and cultural causes. This report will examine the effects and implications of child labour, identify the causes, and propose some feasible solutions. Impacts Child labour is mentally, physically, socially dangerous and harmful to children, and also brings disadvantages to the development of economies across the world, especially in impoverished countries. Obviously and essentially, working in sweatshops and other inhumane conditions may...
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...Child Labor – A Challenge the World is Facing Childhood is the most innocent stage in a human life. It is that phase of life where a child is free from all the tensions, fun-loving, play and learns new things, and is the sweetheart of all the family members. But this is only one side of the story. The other side is full of tensions and burdens. Here, the innocent child is not the sweetheart of the family members, instead he is an earning machine working the entire day in order to satisfy the needs and wants of his/her family. This is what is called 'CHILD LABOUR'. There are various causes and effects of child labour. Eliminating child labour is one of the biggest challenges that the whole world is facing. Child labour includes working children who are below a certain minimum age. This practice is going on since long and is one of the worst forms of child exploitation. Child labour not only causes damage to a child’s physical and mental health but also keep him deprive of his basic rights to education, development, and freedom. According to statistics provided by UNICEF, there are an estimated 250 million children aged 5 to 14 years employed in child labour worldwide and this figure is continuously increasing. Child labour is not only affecting under-developed and developing countries, but developed countries are also facing this though the rate is comparatively very less. Child labor in Asia accounts for the highest percentage of child labour (61%) followed by Africa (32%)...
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...Question: Research, Analyse and Debate Exists a linkage between the exploitation of children, as a source of labour, and globalisation in both developing and industrialised countries? Table of Content Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………………...3 1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………... 5 2. Discussion……………………………………………………………………………. 5 2.1 Definition: What is child labour? ..................................................................... 5 2.2 Definition: What is globalisation? ………………………………………….... 6 2.3 Difference between developing and industrialised countries……………........ 6 2.3.1 Facts and background of India and Germany ………………………………... 7 2.3.2 ILO Convention no. 138 …………………………………………………….. 8 2.3.3 Perception of child labour in society ………………………………………… 8 2.3.4 Laws and how they are executed……………………………………………... 9 2.4.1 School attendance rate ……………………………………………………… 10 2.4.1 School drop-out rate ………..………………………………………………. 10 2.5.1 Structural change and the state of economy………………………………… 11 2.5.2 Digression to historical development in Germany………………………….. 11 2.5.3 Deriving historical insight in present India…………………………………… 12 2.6.1 Value of the individuals workforce…………………………………………… 12 2.6.2 Distribution of income………………………………………………………... 12 2.6.3 Poverty and workforce………………………………………………………... 13 2.7 Globalisation and its impact on child labour……………………………………. 13 3. Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………... 14...
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...TITLE OF THE ESSAY : Child Labour : The Abuse of Girl Child * Siddharth Sharma (2ND YEAR B.A.LLB STUDENT AT NLIU, BHOPAL) TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 2. WHY A GIRL CHILD GETS MORE VICTIMIZED? 3. SEXUAL ABUSE AND CHILD LABOUR? 4. DO WE HAVE A SOLUTION? INTRODUCTION “Born to parents who themselves were uneducated child workers, many child worker are forced to continue a tradition that leaves them chained to a life of poverty” Child labour violates a nation’s minimum age laws, threatens children’s physical, mental, or emotional well-being, involves intolerable abuse, such as child slavery, child trafficking, debt bondage, forced labor, or illicit activities, prevents children from going to school and above all, uses children to undermine labor standards. In this regard The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act was enacted in 1986. The constitution of India also recognizes the right of children and safeguards their right to survival, protection and development. Article 14 of the constitution bestows right to equality. Article 15(3) empowers state to make special provision in favour of children. Article 23 prohibits traffic in human being. Article 14 prohibits employment of children below 14 years in any factory or mine or hazardous occupation. Article 39 prohibits abuse and exploitation. Article 45 provides compulsory education up to 14 years. India has recently finally left the company of seven other countries that still legally permit...
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...symbol. They are the “world’s leading supplier of athletic shoes” but this has not come without any controversy. By the end of this case study you can evaluate whether or not you think Nike is an ethical organisation. Nike’s use of sweatshops and child labour signalled global outbursts, with Activists even creating the “swooshtika”, a swastika made up for Nike “swoosh” logos. Their ethical background could have been said to be non existent and their reputation for profit maximisation at all costs was having a detrimental effect. Nike was being “targeted due to the fact that they were the world’s best selling brand and they in complete denial about any malpractice in which they took no responsibility for the operations that took place in sub contracted factories in third world countries.” Nike were trying to cut costs by setting up manufacturing factories in countries that labour costs would be minimal, so that they could increase their bottom line. Although the protests were loud, gathered momentum and their exploitation of child labour was made public, did this stop people buying their products? This is a factor that Nike had to weigh up. Nike had a poor track record of CSR. In the late 1990s it was “linked to wage abuse, child labour and trade union discrimination. It was criticised for its culture of...
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...SIMPOC International Labour Office Global child labour developments: Measuring trends from 2004 to 2008 Yacouba Diallo, Frank Hagemann, Alex Etienne, Yonca Gurbuzer and Farhad Mehran Statistical Information and Monitoring Programme on Child Labour (SIMPOC) International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) Global child labour developments: Measuring trends from 2004 to 2008 Yacouba Diallo, Frank Hagemann, Alex Etienne, Yonca Gurbuzer and Farhad Mehran Copyright © International Labour Organization 2010 First published 2010 Publications of the International Labour Office enjoy copyright under Protocol 2 of the Universal Copyright Convention. Nevertheless, short excerpts from them may be reproduced without authorization, on condition that the source is indicated. For rights of reproduction or translation, application should be made to ILO Publications (Rights and Permissions), International Labour Office, CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland, or by email: pubdroit@ilo.org. The International Labour Office welcomes such applications. Libraries, institutions and other users registered with reproduction rights organizations may make copies in accordance with the licences issued to them for this purpose. Visit www.ifrro.org to find the reproduction rights organization in your country. Diallo, Yacouba; Hagemann, Frank; Etienne, Alex; Gurbuzer, Yonca; Mehran, Farhad Global child labour developments: Measuring trends from 2004 to 2008 / Yacouba Diallo,...
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...trafficked and were literally sold by middle man. GAP has shown the intent by international company should work against child labour and it is heartening to see that the Indian law enforcement is following suit. Such incidents show that holistic perspective is required in eliminating child labour form co-operations, civil society the government and law enforcement. We firmly believe that co-operates and the business houses should continue to work with India and cancellation of the orders is not a solution. Instead of cancelling the order the Business Houses should make sure that where ever their production is going on the manufacturing units shouldn’t employ children and also regularly monitor their contractors and sub-contractors to assure that they are not violating any labour law”. Slave Kids Driving Economic Growth “10-year-old unpaid workers who help clothing giants make billions.” “GAP slave kids is a gloomy reality of Indian Growing economy.” “Indian 'slave' children found making low-cost clothes destined for Gap” October 28, 2007, The Observer. These are some of the news headlines flashing across the world today. It is disheartening to just imagine that an embroidered top that you are buying for your child is made by another 10-year-old who whose life was trade into slavery for a mere Rs. 1000 ($ 25). Western Brands and Designers have been looking for cheap labour in India but in the profit oriented business they forget to monitor that in glimmering, the future of thousands...
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...them work under conditions that leave them alarmingly vulnerable to chemical and biological hazards. Child workers tend to develop muscular, chest and abdominal pain, headaches, dizziness, respiratory infections, diarrhoea and worm infection. Poor working conditions make them more susceptible than their adult colleagues to infectious diseases, injuries and other workplace-related ailments. Many even experience amputations or loss of body parts. Moreover, children in certain occupations experience particular types of abuse. Child domestic workers are often found to be victims of verbal and sexual abuse, beating or punishment by starvation. Children, engaged in scavenging, rag-picking or marginal economic activities in the streets, are exposed to drugs, violence, and criminal activities, physical and sexual abuse in many parts of the country. Child labour is a denial of the right to enjoy childhood and achieve full physical and psychological development. Worse still, many hundreds of children are trapped in forced labour, debt bondage, prostitution and other kinds of jobs that cause lasting and devastating damage. Obviously the formulation of a National plan of action for the elimination of child labour in the country is a need of the hour. Causes of child labour Poverty is the single most important factor responsible for the prevalence of child labour in the country. About 55 million people live below the poverty line in Bangladesh. Poor households badly need the money that...
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...9-906-415 REV: NOVEMBER 14, 2006 CHRISTOPHER A. BARTLETT VINCENT DESSAIN ANDERS SJÖMAN IKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor (B) After more than a decade spent struggling with the issue of child labor, Marianne Barner felt good about how IKEA had responded. But occasionally, she found herself wondering whether the progress the global furniture retailer had made was real and durable. Just as it had in the mid-1990s, in 2005 the company could still find itself on the defensive in dealing with the issue. Even more troubling to Barner was that after 10 years of working to prevent child labor among IKEA’s suppliers— introducing a clear code of conduct, developing internal controls and third-party audits, training its suppliers, supporting their corrective actions, and instituting stiff sanctions against offenders—the company was still finding cases of child labor in its supply chain. The latest issue had been drawn to Barner’s attention by Kaisa Mattson, the head of IKEA’s compliance office in south Asia. Like Barner herself a decade before, Mattson was facing the decision of whether to terminate a relationship with a long-standing major supplier. This one, however, had violated not one but several items in IKEA’s detailed code of conduct, known as “The IKEA Way on Purchasing Products”—or IWAY for short. Venkat Industries was a textile mill with over 10,000 workers, and a recent audit had shown that it had stopped using the water treatment plant it had...
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...The history of human trafficking Human trafficking was not a new phenomenon in our modern societies, in fact, between the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries, at least 10 million people were enslaved from their countries in Africa and transported to both Europe and the Americas as part of the Atlantic slave trade. This trade was driven by strong demand for workers to work on farms in the Americas. In the end, human trafficking became an important part of an international trading system in which Europeans and North Americans exchanged goods for human straight the West and West Central Atlantic coasts of Africa. In 1502, the first African slaves were traded in the New World. In the 1600s, African workers began to use in the British Caribbean...
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...1.1 Prelude to Child Labour Child is the father of a man. Child is the wealth of a state. Child is the hope and future of a nation. Child is the precursor of human civilization. When the child is so important in the life of a nation; he can neither be ignored nor neglected in the onward march of a world civilization. Children should therefore be properly reared up for the sake of human civilization, for the sake of a nation and its government. Environment should be so created that a child may properly grow physically; mentally as well as intellectually to play its role in tomorrow’s society. Child is the continuation of human civilization and bears the testimony of parenthood and generation. He is the foundation of a family, a society, a nation and the world as a whole. He requires careful and effective measures for his proper nourishment by the concerned person and authority. He is to be provided with the basics he requires. But unfortunately this does not prevail all over the world equally specially in the developing countries. A few fortunate children of these countries are provided with the basics while the rest are denied of their basic needs, physical and mental growth. They are compelled to offer labour for their livelihood before they attain majority. They work with the hammer and the spade instead of working with the book and the pencil. Sometimes, circumstantially they go into the clutches of anti-social elements, creating law and order problems and finally they...
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