workshop5-child labour essay summary

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO) of the United Nations, ‘child labour’ generally refers to any economic activity performed by a person under the age of 15. It is at the most destructive end, where children are used as prostitutes or virtual slave to help the family in poverty.

In 1949, the general assembly of United Nation agreed on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It listed the fundamental rights and freedoms that every individual without reservation, is born with.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Children( CRC) is the most widely ratified convention implemented in 1990.The convention focuses on protection for children (Article 19), as a special group in society who requires specific set of rights (Article 27) that ensure their access to health care and education (Art 28,29) as well as social services( Art 31),and ensure they are free from harm, exploitation­ and abuse( Art 32).

Under the convention 138 of ILO, minimum age is set for admission to employment. The ILO further adopts the Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (No.182). It concerns the sale and trafficking of children, the use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution, for the production of pornography or for pornographic performances. 

Despite the existing law, the monitoring component of these legal frameworks is weak or non-existent and the finances and political will to improve them have not materialized. This is largely affected by the community ignorance against the battle of child labour and the global demand for cheaply produced goods in the market.

Child labor is a pervasive problem throughout the global economy, especially in the markets of developing countries. However, it is argued that something has to be done against the lack of law enforcement.

The world has a legal framework to go against the child labour in place. However, it means very little if the law is not enforced. 






Raychelle CM Tan