Child Labor

 

Child labor is one of the biggest problems around the world because it puts children in danger. It is basically defined as work that deprives children of their childhood and their rights and also that is harmful to physical and mental development. It is a very serious problem which is increasing in many countries day by day.

All the child labors in the world are manual workers. They have to work very hard to earn their living and their work is usually extremely unfit for them. When they are supposed to go to schools, they are servant at households. They are obliged to work in cheap hotels and shops. Many children are found breaking stones or bricks for house-building. They are also found doing dangerous works like welding. Some work in factories, some polish boots and some even work as rickshaw pullers. Some children are also engaged in the farming and rearing which is very difficult.

Child labor is a big concern and problem in Bangladesh also. There are 4.8 million child labor in the country within the age 5-14 years which represents 12.6% of the total labor force. Child labor situation is one of the worst in Bangladesh considering other countries of the world. 

There are many causes of child labor around the world. But the biggest cause of child labor is poverty. In some poor countries, the government doesn’t help poor families by providing education, health care or find for them work to get money. So, in this case parents are forced to send their children to work and get money to their parents. Again, some parents spend their money on drinking, buying drugs and they force their children to work. Otherwise, the children can be beaten or can be abused by their parents so children are forced to work.  Illiterate parents are also one of the causes for child labor. Some parents are not able to work so they force their children to work instead of them. Hence, children are easily employed because they get less money than adults and they are easier to get abused. So, the main causes are:

• Poverty 

• Lack of education

• Lack of awareness 

• Drug addiction

• Abuse

• Unemployment

• Low wages of child labor

 

Child laborers are helpless and the employers take full advantage of this condition. They are given the least wages possible for the maximum labor/hours. Sometimes, they need to work for ten to fourteen hours but are not paid for their overtime. They are usually treated very harshly at their working places. At households, they are tortured physically and mentally. They are usually given insufficient food and as a result, they suffer from malnutrition. So, child labor can cause several problems in the physical and emotional development of the child. In gist effects of child labor are:

• School left out 

• School drop out

• Physical harassment

• Malnutrition 

• Low income leads them to become poor and again the next generation follows the same tragic condition which leads the vicious cycle of child labor and poverty

 

Child labor is a huge problem affecting the world today as well as Bangladesh. Some people think it impossible to end child labor. But, there are possible solutions also. Both the family, Community and the Government has particular roles to combat the child labor. 

Family:

• Never send the children to schools at least until the minimum legal age for employment.

• Never attach the children at the farming, family work and business.

• Monitor and assist school performance.

• Take care of health and other wellbeing.

Community:

• Community will monitor the school left out and drop out.

• Motivate the parents to send children to school

• Financial and other supports to the family to minimize poverty.

• Create pressure to the parents not to engage work rather send them to school.

Government:

• Make proper policy and laws to combat child labor; Ban child labor

• Implementation of policies properly.

• Monitor the situation.

• Support the poor family from government relief, rehabilitation and safety net programme. 

• Reduce unemployment for parents.

• Make education free and compulsory up until the minimum legal age for employment. 

• Take strong measure against child labor.

It is said that the children are the backbone of a country. The government should think about this grim situation of child labor and promulgate a law against ill-treatments towards them. People in general should be more humanistic to these poor children. If these children are not provided with the basic necessities of life, they would be an economic burden for us. So, we have to be conscious about this crucial problem while there is still time.

 

Author-

Noshin Anjum