Child Labor
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Child Labor
Despite very harsh labor laws in all parts of the globe, child labor is still prevalent. In China, for example, the practice is not a new phenomenon. From time immemorial, in spite of the banning the employment of minors by official regulations, pre-adolescents and teenagers from poor neighborhoods of China are increasingly being drawn to the drastically developing coastal and southern areas to search for employment. Employment is readily available for this army of juvenile laborers in the factories and workshops. The recruitment of juvenile labor is most prevalent in toy production, construction, food production, textiles, and mechanical work industries. These companies may kidnap or lure the children to work for them. It has been concluded the demand for child labor is growing because children are underpaid without complaining (Barboza, 2008). More often than not, many guardians do not have a choice but to let off their children for work. When school fees go up beyond the means most rural families can afford, opportunities for education grow increasingly dim for rural children. Moreover, the wages of children, however meager, may represent a significant portion of much-needed source of income to poor households. Parents of these laborers lack the slightest idea of the adversity of working conditions and risks inherent in the employment in the businesses. Furthermore, such workers rarely complain, as they know the crucial nature of the contributions they give to their families. The high vulnerability of underage laborers to hazards results in injuries and death. This is because children tend to be less knowledgeable of such hazards than adults are. Additionally, whilst juvenile, adult and laborers shoulder similar family burdens, the work related death of a minor might bring even greater bereavement to loved ones.
References
Barboza, D. (2008, May 1). China Says Abusive Child Labor Ring Is Exposed . The New York Times, pp. 6-7.