Free the Children from Child Labour

Free The Children from Child Labour: The Disadvantageous of Child Labour Two hundred million children are suffering in the world! “the world has an estimated 186 million child labourers – 5,7 million in forced and bonded labor, 1. 8 million in prostitution, and 0. 3 million in armed conflict” . ( Basu & Tzannatos, 2003, p. 147). In Africa, Asia and the Middle East, a huge number of children are child labourers, and most of them under 14 years old. However, they are working hard as same as adults; they are working long hours every day, and work in harsh, dangerous and harmful conditions.

They can’t have normal lives as other children; they can’t go to school and stay with their families, because they must earn money for themselves and their families. Some of child labourers are even used as collateral for loan; their parents use them to obtain money. Finally, a child labour work as a slave, and no future for him. Child labour already becomes a huge and serious problem, and governments must have a law to protect and free the children from child labour, because it causes children have poor education, be abused, and only can get tiny income.

Child labour has its specific definition. The International Labor Organization defines child labor as work situations where children are compelled to work on a regular basis to earn a living for themselves and their families, and as a result are disadvantaged educationally and socially; where children work in conditions that are exploitative and damaging to their health and to their physical and mental development; where children are separated from their families, often deprived of educational and training opportunities; where children are forced to lead prematurely adult lives. World Education, 2008). Poor education Lots of people think some child labourers who both work and attend school can learn both general knowledge from school and some special skills from their work; even can be successful in their specific area. However, it is totally wrong. Children only lost their opportunities for education, and they can not get any benefits from child labour. According to Rosati and Rossi. (2003). In their article, “children’s working hours and school enrolment: evidence from Pakistan and Nicaragua”, working hours always has negative influence for school hours.

Some people think school hours are only the time that spend in school and it is fixed, but the fact is school attendance is only the minimum fixed mount of time devoted to school. School hours mostly are not fixed; however, since children go to work, the hours spent at work actually took from unfixed school hours. For example, some child labourers often skip classes, so they dropped out because it is not tolerated by school authorities. Also, no time for preview and review classes; no time for homework, so they can not even pass their classes.

Therefore, anytime time spent at work can be used for education, and it must be used for education. Also, child labourers can not learn any professional skills from their work, because most children choose unskilled labour, and they usually working on family farm, bars and restaurants. “The ILO estimates that about 20 percent of the people working in commercial agriculture in Africa are children. ”( Kielland & Tovo, 2006, p. 92). In the article, “child labor in the commercial labor market”, (Kielland and Tovo), (2006), they describe African child labourers working situation in agriculture.

Because, the main income comes from agriculture in Africa, and base on the agriculture system and main crops, people need a huge mount of labours in agriculture. For instance, children can gather some certain kinds of crops such as cotton and coffee. During harvest time, people employ a lager numbers of children as pickers. Another example, child labourers prefer work in bars and restaurants, because they can get general incomes and the working condition is much better than work in field. However, no matter work in farms or restaurants, there don’t have any specific skills can be learned for children.

Thus, child labour only can cause poor education to children, and can not give them any benefits. Be abused People think work doesn’t harm children, but the truth is children sometimes are abused by their employers such as work as slaves and they may get sexual abuse. Children are easy to exploit through manipulation and psychological control mechanisms. They fear of violence and punishment. Also, they are inexperienced in life, so they only can trust adults. Thus, children easily get abuse from employers and are controlled by adults.

For instance, in the coffee farm in Africa, a worker told a boy about a child who tried to escape, but failed. The child was caught and badly beaten. This made the boy afraid and scared. Therefore, fear of punishment make children keep working as slaves for employers. (Kielland & Tovo, 2006). Sexual abuse is really common in African child labourers. It causes some serious problem to children such as HIV/AIDS. Working children get sexual abuse more than non working children. For instance, according to Kielland and Tovo. (2006).

In their article, “child labour in the commercial labor market”, girls work in restaurants longer than boys, and working late hours in a place where alcohol is served. Some girls provide service which is far beyond food and drinks. Because there have no general responsibility for those female child labourers, and people think it is a good way to earn money, girls provide sexual service for their male clients. Thus, child labour harms children so much, and it is damaging to children’s health and physical development. Tiny income

Most people believe if let children work, and they can give a huge help to their families because they can get income from their work. However, children only can earn a tiny income because of their unique and vulnerable position. According to Kielland and Tovo. (2006). In their article, “child labour in the commercial labor market”, a child labour only can get half, a third, or even less salary than an adult’s salary. They work as hard as adults, but they can’t gat a salary same as adults because even they only can get a tiny income they still keep working.

Especially, when a child leaves home along, he doesn’t have any other choices. Sometimes, child labourers can’t even get any salary. For example, if a child be a part of household work, he isn’t paid at all. In Malawi, children help their families work on the land as adjustable labourers during the heaviest time. They help produce tobacco as part of their tenant families, but no payment because they are not employed directly by their families. On the other hand, sometimes, employers may save the salaries on behalf of the children, or they may pay for children at the end of the year.

During this time, if children run away, they may lose all of their salaries. (Kielland & Tovo, 2006). Besides, according to Christiaensen, Demery and Paternostro. (2003). In their article, “macro and micro perspective of growth and poverty in Africa”, let children to participate in household work can not make a change of income for the family. They think “education and access to land emerge as key private endowments to help households benefit from new economic opportunities. ” (Christiaensen, Demery & Paternostro, 2003, p. 317).

Therefore, don’t let children to earn income for family because they only can earn less than a minimum wage or no wages at all. In conclusion, child labour causes children lose their opportunities to go to school; get abuse, both physical and sexual from their employers, and they only can earn tiny wages. Children are vulnerable and they need parents’ protection. Child labour must be ended! Education is the key to ending the exploitation of children. Ending poverty and increasing access to education are therefore crucial tools in the fight against ending child labour.

Also, governments must have law to protect children keep away from child labour, and give opportunities to children to create their future. Every single child has a dream, and let us makes their dreams come true! References Basu, K. & Tzannatos, Z. (2003). The global child labor problem: What do we know and what can we do? The World Bank Economic Review, 17(2), 147-173. Christiaensen, L. , Demery, L. &Paternostro, S. (2003). Macro and micro perspectives of growth and poverty in Africa. The World Bank Economic Review, 17(3), 317-347. Kielland, A. amp; Tovo, M. (2006). Children at work: Child labor practices in Africa. United States of American: Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc. Rosati, F. C. & Rossi, M. (2003). Children’s working hours and school enrolment: Evidence from Pakistan and Nicaragua. The World Bank Economic Review, 17(2), 283-295. World Education. (2008, February 4). Child labor and trafficking. Retrieved February 5, 2008, from http://www. worlded. org/WEIInternet/projects/ListProjects. cfm? Select=Topic&ID= 14&ShowProjects=No&gclid=CKawtIe4wo8CFSJAQQodNGapRQ

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Nike and Child Labour

Nike and child labour Nike is a household name when it comes to sports apparel and equipment. It has worked hard to burnish its image, especially by garnering endorsements from big names in the sports world,such as Michael Jordan. But in 1996 its silver image began to tarnish. It knew it was in trouble when an article on child labour in Pakistan appeared in Life magazine with a picture of a 12-year-old boy sewing a Nike soccer ball in a factory, and activists started showing up in front of Nike outlets holding posters with the boy’s picture on it.

Although child labour is illegal in Pakistan, the law is not enforced and child labour is widespread. The factory in question was not run by Nike, but by a subcontractor or supplier. Nonetheless,Nike was held responsible by many,especially in the US and Canada. One immediate result was a ,,Boycott Nike” movement, which has continued to monitor and report on Nike’s actions. Nor was the report from Pakistan an isolated incident for Nike. Also in 1996, CBS’s 48 Hours reported on working conditions in Vietnam, featuring Nike and the abuses of workers who made some of Nike’s prosucts.

Since 1996, Nike has been charged by critics with engaging in a variety of unethical employment practices in countries that exercise little or no control over the conditions of labour or whose governments are corrupt and can be bought off. For Nike had and continues to have a reputation for producing its products in less developed countries, known for the cheapest labour and the laxest law enforcement, including China, Viet Nam, Bangladesh and Indonesia.

At Nike’s invitation, the Viet Nam Labour Watch conducted a six-month investigation and its report details discrepancies between what Nike told American customers and what the group itself uncovered. One significant item in the report is the statement that non-Nike shoe factories the group visited in Vietnam had better working conditions and paid haigher wages. In 1998 , Nike pledged to make sure its factories adhered to acceptable labour practices and agreed to let labour and human rights groups inspect its facilities.

Yet its critics continued to track the company. In 2000, Victoria International Development Education Association (VIDEA) in Canada published a book of facts about Nike, which noted among other things that Nike, which paid its 80,000 Indonesian factory workers ten cents an hour,could double their wages at a cost of less than 20,000,000-the amount that Nike paid Michael Jordan for promoting its products. It paid $200 million to sponsor the Brazilian soccer team. VIDEA also claimed that the cost of making one pair of Nike running shoes was approximately $5. 0, although they retail for more than $100 and for as much as $189. The figures by themselves, of course, do not present the whole picture. However, at least on the surface they suggest exploitation of labour and a terrible disparity between manufacturing and advertising expenditures. In 2001, Nike’s CEO, Philip Knight ,claimed that the company’s policy with respect to the employment of child labour was ,,the highest in the world: 18 for footwear manufacturing, 16 for apparel and equipment. ‘ Nonetheless, he acknowledged that there were instances in which the company used contract factories abroad, where the policies had been violated. With respect to the company’s violations in Cambodia, violations reported by the BBC, Mr. Knight cited the fact that evidence of age could buy there for as little as $5 and that, following the charge, the company re-examined all employee records there. The reply did not satisfy critics. The athletic shoe company has been the centre of a controversy over its responsibility for the mistreatment of the workers who make its shoes.

Nike does not actually manufacture any of the athletic shoes it sells. Instead,Nike designs its shoes in Seattle,and then pays companies in developing countries (China, Indonesia, India, etc. ) to make the shoes according to these designs. These foreign supplier companies have directly mistreated and exploited their workers. Nike has claimed that it is not morraly responsible for this mistreatment, because the supplier companies caused the injuries of their employees. Thus, Nike itself did not cause the injuries.

Critics have responded that although it is true that Nike did not directly cause the injuries, Nike could have prevented those injuries by forcing its suppliers to treat their workers humanely. If it is true that Nike had the power to prevent the injuries, and should have done so, then Nike met the first condition for moral responsibility. However, if Nike was truly powerless to prevent the injuries-if Nike had no control over the actions of its suppliers-then it did not meet the first condition.

People are morally responsible for an injury when they failed to prevent it, only if they ,,should have” prevented it. People cannot hold morally responsible for all the injuries they know about and fail to prevent. Each of us is not morally responsible for failing to save all the members of all the starving groups in the world that we learn about by reading the newspapers, even if we could have saved some of them. If we were morally responsible for all these deaths,then we would all be murderers many times over and this seems wrong.

A person is responsible for failing to prevent an injury only when, for some reason, the person had an obligation to prevent that particular injury. Such an obligation generally requires some sort of special relationship to the injury or the injured party. For example, if I know I am the only person near enough to save a drowning child, and I can do so easily, then m special physical relationship to the child creates in me an obligation to save the child and so I am morally responsible for the child’s death if I fail to prevent it.

Or if I am a police officer on duty and see a crime thet I can easily prevent, then, because it is my job to prevent such crimes, I have a specific obligation to prevent this crime and I am morally responsible if I fail to do so. Employers likewise have a special oblgation to prevent work injuries on their employees and so are morally responsible for any foreseen work injuries they could hav prevented. The second requirement for moral responsibility is concerned with the agent’s knowledge of the relevant aspects in a situation. The person must know what she is doing.

If a person is ignorant of the fact that her actions will injure someone else, then she cannot be morally responsible for that injury. A person may be ignorant of either the relevant facts the relevant moral standards. I may be sure that bribery is wrong (a moral standard), but may not realize that in tipping a customs official I was actually bribing him into cancelling certain import fees(a fact). In contrast, I may be genuinely ignorant that bribing government officials is wrong (a moral standard), altough I know taht in tipping the customs official I am bribing him into reducing the fees I owe (a fact).

Ignorance, however, does not always excuse a person. One exception occurs when a person deliberately stays ignorant of a certain matter to escape responsibility. If Nike managers told their suppliers that they did not want to know what was going on in their factories, they would still be morally responsible for whatever mistreatment went on that they could have prevented. A second exception occurs a person negligently fails to take adequate steps to get information about a matter that has its own importance.

A manager is an asbestos company, who has reason to suspect that asbestos may be dangerous, but who, out of laziness, fails to gather information on the matter, cannot plead ignorance as an excuse. The third requirement for moral responsibility: The person must act of his own free will. Someone acts of his own free will when the person acts deliberately or purposefully and his actions are not the result of some uncontrollable mental impulse or external force.

A person is not morally responsible if he causes injury because he lacked the power, skill, opportunity. Nor is a person morally responsible when physically forced to inflict an injury on someone else. The same when the agent is physically restraint from doing something to prevent the injury, nor when a person’s mind is psychologically impaired in a way that prevents her from controlling her actions. An employee may injure a fellow worker when a machine he thought he knew how to operate suddenly veers out of his control.

A manager working under extremely stressful circumstances may be so tense that one day he is overcome by rage at a subordinate and genuinely is unable to control his actions toward the subordinate. An engineer who is part of a larger operating committee may be unable to prevent the other committee members from making a decision that the engineer feels will result in injury to other parties. An assembly-line worker with an un diagnosed malady may suffer muscle spasms that cause the assembly line to malfunction in a way that inflicts physical injuries on other workers.

In all of these cases, the person is not morally responsible for the wrong or the injury, because the person did not choose the action deliberately or purposefully, but was forced to inflict the injury by a mental impairment or some uncontrollable external forces. We can distinguish three types of factors that can lessen a person’s moral responsibility:first, we should consider circumstances that minimize,but don’t completely remove a person’s involevement in an act that caused or brought about an injury.

This kind of circumstances affects the degree to which the person actually caused or helped to cause the injury. An engineer may be aware of the unsafe features in somebody else’s design,but passively stand by without doing anything about it because ,,that’s no my job’’. In general,the less one is morally responsible for that outcome. Certain circumstances leave a person uncertain, but not altogether unsure about a variety of matters (facts, moral standards, seriousness of the wrongdoing etc. ). This king of circumstances affects the person’s knowledge.

An office worker who is asked to carry proprietary information to a competitor might fell fairly sure that doing so is wrong, yet may also have some genuine uncertainty about how serious the matter is. Finally, there are circumstances that make it difficult but not impossible for the person to avoid doing it. This kind of circumstance affects the person’s free will. Sometimes, middle managers meet intense pressure or threts or to keep certain health information secret from workers or the public, although it is clearly unethical to do so.

If the pressures on managers are great enough, then their responsibility correspondingly diminishes. The extent to which these three mitigating circumstances can diminish a person’s responsibility for a wrongful injury depends on the seriousness of the wrong. Supposing that I have a firm and my employer threatens to fire me unless I sell a used product that I know will kill someone,it would be wrong for me to obey him,even though loss of a job will impose heavy costs on me.

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Child Labour in the 19th Century

As the numbers of factories are growing in the country, many people who live in the countryside seem to be moving to towns and cities to look for better paid work. It seems to be the case that wages of a farm worker are a lot lower than in factories. The city of London seems […]

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The Issue of Child Labour in the Time of the Industrial Revolution

When the industrial revolution first came to Britain and the U. S. , there was a high demand for labor. Families quickly migrated from the rural farm areas to the newly industrialized cities to find work. Once they got there, things did not look as bright as they did. To survive in even the lowest […]

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Child Labour

CAUSES OF CHILD LABOUR •Poverty •Parental illiteracy •Tradition of making children learn the family skills •Absence of universal compulsory Primary education •Social apathy and tolerance of child labour •Ignorance of the parents about the adverse consequences of Child labour •Ineffective enforcement of the legal provisions pertaining to child labour •Non-availability of and non-accessibility to schools […]

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Is Overpopulation the Main Cause of Child Labour

Is Overpopulation the Main Cause of Child Labour? Child labour refers to the employment of children to benefit their family financial situation where they are exploited to danger and hazard. It may interfere with their education and hamper the children physically, mentally, spiritually or morally. Children exposed to child labour since young can be distorted […]

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Violation Of Human rights: Child Labour

Child labor case Violation of human rights can be observed in the case of child labor of Hershey’s chocolate at the coca farms in Ghana. It helps us to understand that the problem of child labor has spread from regional concern to international issue. Is it wrong to exploit the cheap labor by children in […]

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