Child labor

Child labor refers to the employment of children in any work that deprives them of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend regular school, and is mentally, physically, socially, or morally harmful. Such practices are considered exploitative by many international organizations and are illegal in many countries.

Definition and Types

Child labor is defined by the International Labour Organization (ILO) 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 mentally, physically, socially, or morally dangerous and harmful to children; and
• interferes with their schooling by:
  • depriving them of the opportunity to attend school;
  • obliging them to leave school prematurely; or
  • requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work.

In its most extreme forms, child labor involves children being enslaved, separated from their families, exposed to serious hazards and illnesses, and/or left to fend for themselves on the streets of large cities – often at a very early age.

Causes

The primary causes of child labor include poverty, lack of access to education, and weak economic and social structures. In many cases, child labor is utilized by families as a means to secure an income for survival or to supplement family income. In some regions, cultural norms also support child labor.

Consequences

The consequences of child labor often result in underdevelopment, health issues, and lack of educational attainment. Children who are forced into labor miss out on essential schooling and are often subjected to conditions that can cause long-term physical and psychological damage.

Legislation and Control

Efforts to control child labor are reflected in a range of laws and regulations and international agreements such as the ILO's Conventions on the Minimum Age of Employment and the Worst Forms of Child Labor, which aim to prevent and eliminate child labor that is harmful to children.

Global Initiatives

Various global initiatives aim to eradicate child labor, including the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal Target 8.7, which calls for an end to child labor in all its forms by 2025. Organizations like UNICEF and the ILO are actively involved in projects that promote laws against child labor and that provide educational opportunities to affected children.

See Also

• Forced labor
• Poverty
• Education