A stolen childhood

Correspondent (Our World)

Presumably, access to a carefree childhood and education is for most a basic human right, yet in reality this is but a distant dream for a large percentage of children around the globe. According to Maplecrofts annual study, statistics reveal that a staggering 197 countries still operate under the use of child labour within the workplace, with a large range of its workers tragically ageing between 5-14 years.

It is even more worrying that 76 of these countries are in ‘extreme risk’ of using child labour within its workforce, with statistics highlighting China, India, Brazil, Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia as the most accountable. Operating the supply chains of large companies it seems that child labour within these growing economies has been found in a range of trades. However, it is mostly present within agriculture, factory work, production lines, gem-cutting and other hazardous jobs, so what reasons lie behind this?

During a time when a child’s greatest concern should be balancing playtime with homework, it seems that the overall deterioration of family security globally can shed some light on the ever growing numbers of child workers; with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) suggesting that poverty is but the greatest cause behind child labour. While this is a sad concept, it seems this is the stark reality of many families today with many children being forced to assume the constant pressure of increasing financial problems, resulting in some minors ridiculously contributing anything from 25 per cent to 40 per cent of the total family income.

It is no surprise therefore that many organisations battle for the elimination of such conditions and fight for the right to an educated childhood. Providing invaluable aid, organisations such as UNICEF work with 190 countries nationally to provide the protection and development of children alongside the help from the International Labour Organization, the Child Labour Coalition, Save the Children and many more. Urgently seeking donations many of these companies rely solely on public for its finances, helping to provide any means that allow for child poverty and labour to be reduced in favour of an education.

Yet, it seems that while helping to improve the reality of many child workers, the central concern is the reasoning behind the continued increasing numbers of young workers. For families to be reduced to a state of absolute poverty in which children as young as five are subject to labour intensive and — in all honestly — dangerous jobs is extremely unnecessary. Awareness and action is therefore essential. Child labour is the direct result of the failure of a system whether it is political, economic or cultural, and while these failures cannot be changed overnight, individual action can impact considerably on the reality many children face today.

Whether it be through financial support of the relevant institutions or through personal volunteering, every citizen can in some way act towards the prevention of cruelty. A simple switch to fair trade and organic goods can be all that is needed to allow for greater financial gains, hopefully resulting in the reconstruction of what it means to have a childhood. With simple reflection upon a happy childhood, organisations continue to encourage others to put themselves in these children’s shoes. After all it is their continued intervention that provides hope for a better future, and it is only with hope that action and change can commence.

Image Courtesy: Krish Dulal, Released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license | Wiki Commons;