Child Labor
Child Labor It is widely accepted that one of the key components to a healthy future is a good education. Education is so important that in most well-developed countries, it is the law, with a punishment for refusing to go to school. However, children around the world are deprived of this essential right. These children are unlawfully forced into working long hours in horrible conditions, and are often in contact with hazardous materials. Child labor occurs the most in areas of high poverty as well as lack of schooling. In some parts of Africa, 50% of children age 5-14 are employed. Most of these children work in agriculture, which is not necessarily dangerous work, but can become very physically draining when the child is worked for excessive amounts of time without a break. Many other children work in mines, which are inherently dangerous due to the lack of safety standards. They could be exposed to dangerous chemicals and there is a very high risk for injury. The world has declared this a violation of basic human rights, because it ruins the futures of children at an early age, essentially killing any chance they could have had to be successful. There are two major concerns around the area of child labor: lack of education and health issues. In areas of high poverty, there are generally not enough schools to educate all the children. Therefore, many children get a job to help support their family. Although it may help provide food and keep the family alive, it also keeps the family in poverty, as knowledge is one of the most important factors of wealth. Also, families in extreme poverty who do have an opportunity to send their children to school often choose not to because they require the extra income. The other main area of concern about child labor is health risks. First of all, children are still developing, meaning they are at a much greater risk than an adult would be when dealing with hazardous chemicals or any other material that can change how they
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