child labour in postindustrial societies

Child labour in postindustrial societies

Child labour forms an intrinsic part of pre-industrial economies.^[18][19] In pre-industrial societies, there is rarely a concept of childhood in the modern sense. Children often begin to actively participate in activities such as child rearing, hunting and farming as soon as they are competent. In many societies, children as young as 13 are seen as adults and engage in the same activities as adults.^[19]

The work of children was important in pre-industrial societies, as children needed to provide their labour for their survival and that of their group. Pre-industrial societies were characterised by low productivity and short life expectancy, preventing children from participating in productive work would be more harmful to their welfare and that of their group in the long run. In pre-industrial societies, there was little need for children to attend school. This is especially the case in non literate societies. Most pre-industrial skill and knowledge were amenable to being passed down through direct mentoring or apprenticing by competent adults.^[19]

child bullying in child labour

beaten, bullied, shoeless and dirty, they toiled all day, and often night, in conditions of Dickensian squalor. But the popular image of working children in Victorian times ignores one key part of their experience: the young labourers were remarkably stoical about their suffering.

From the 11-year-old pin-maker who proudly said she had never been ill during her 12-hour working days to the nine-year-old who got cut and beaten round the head by his masters, there was little moaning from the mouths of 19th century child labourers in hundreds of testimonies that are today made available online (originsnetwork.com).

The voices of children as young as five working in paper mills, iron foundries, bleachfields, potteries and factories are vividly revealed in transcripts of interviews for the second report of the Children's Employment Commission. Set up in 1840, the royal commission was headed by Lord Ashley - later Earl of Shaftesbury - who made his name campaigning to reduce the working hours of women and children

Image of child labour statistics

Child labour laws in pakistan

Child labour in Pakistan. Both the Constitution and Labour laws prohibit the employment of children before the age of 14 years.

The Employment Of Children Act 1991 defines “child” as a person below 14 years of age and an “adolescent” as a person below 18 years of age (the definitions of child and adolescent in this act override these definitions in other labour laws). As mentioned above, the Constitution of Pakistan also regards the minimum age as 14 years. However, the 18th amendment has actually raised the minimum age up to 16 years without amending the labour laws, so contradiction continues. Article 25(A) of the Constitution says that the state now has to provide compulsory education to all children between the ages of five and sixteen years, which means that, a child can’t be allowed to work before 16 years of age.

The law also provides for certain exceptions. It says that no child has to be employed in any occupation, establishment or process defined as hazardous for children except where such process is carried by the family as a business or in any (training) school established, assisted and recognized by the government

child labour impact in our society

In order to overcome our daily living needs we need to work and earn according to individual capacities. In a healthy society individual perform their role according to their age, capabilities and health condition. In contradiction to this, many of the children are deprived of their basic right of freedom and education and they are compelled to start work in a very early age. They are paid very less so they start to work long hours in order to full fill their needs. This causes compromise in normal physiology. So it starts to affect every aspect of life from health, education and off course the socioeconomic status, thus automatically affecting the family and the whole society. According to Freedman (1998), "Child labor is... Work done by kids full-time under the age of 15. Work that prevents kids from attending school, such as unlimited or unrestricted domestic work. Work that is dangerous for kids and that is hazardous to their physical, mental or emotional health". There are number of children who are engaged in different kind of labours. According to International Labour Organization (2009), in Pakistan there are 40 million children age between 5- 14 years and among them 3.3 million children are engaged in labour.

Solution for child labour

SOLUTION TO STOP CHILD LABOUR

Solutions to avoid Child Labour :-

1) Increased family incomes .
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2) Education - That helps children learn 3skills that will help them earn a living .Children need to learn how to read and write. They need social and professional skills that only school and a nurturing environment can provide.Some countries have compulsory schooling and some provide free public schooling. However, in many countries, particularly for those where structural adjustment lending has led to the privatization of schools-the cost of teaching, books,and uniforms makes it impossible for children to get an education. 
3) Social Services - That helps children and families survive crises such as diseases or loss of home and shelter.

4) Family Control or Fertility - So that families are not burdened by children. 

5) Eliminate poverty - Boycotting is not the solution because it forces children, who otherwise have no specific training,to quit their jobs and return to the streets or to more dangerous activities. 
6) Enforce labour laws - Most countries have laws against child labour; however, some governments support child labour (regardless of existing laws) as a way of gaining a competitive market advantage.Preventing children from working is not necessarily the best solution; children may end up in worse situations and their families may become even poorer. 
7) Abolish child trafficking - Everywhere in the world, there are adults who earn a living by buying and selling children. The governments of all countries must take harsh measures against child trafficking. 
8) Promote fair trade Fair trade practices guarantee a fair price to small-scale producers. In 44 developing countries, fair trade helps keep 550 co-operatives in business. These co-operatives consequently provide goods to 5 million people and often reinvest profits in the community, where the money is used to build schools, medical clinics, wells, etc.

9) Replace child workers by adult workers - There are 800 million unemployed adults in the world; and yet, the number of working children is estimated to be at over 300 million. 

Child labour in agriculture

  

In many countries child labour is mainly an agricultural issue. Worldwide 60 percent of all child labourers in the age group 5-17 years work in agriculture, including farming, fishing, aquaculture, forestry, and livestock. This amounts to over 98 million girls and boys. The majority (67.5%) of child labourers are unpaid family members. In agriculture this percentage is higher, and is combined with very early entry into work, sometimes between 5 and 7 years of age1. Agriculture is one of the three most dangerous sectors in terms of work-related fatalities, non-fatal accidents and occupational diseases. About 59 percent of all children in hazardous work aged 5–17 are in agriculture.

Poverty is the main cause of child labour in agriculture, together with limited access to quality education, inadequate agricultural technology and access to adult labour, high hazards and risks, and traditional attitudes towards children’s participation in agricultural activities. Especially in the context of family farming, small-scale fisheries and livestock husbandry, some participation of children in non-hazardous activities can be positive as it contributes to the inter-generational transfer of skills and children’s food security. It is important to distinguish between light duties that do no harm to the child and child labour, which is work that interferes with compulsory schooling and damages health and personal development, based on hours and conditions of work, child’s age, activities performed and hazards involved.

Participation in some agricultural activities is not always child labour. Age- appropriate tasks that are of lower risk and do not interfere with a child’s schooling and leisure time can be a normal part of growing up in a rural environment. Especially in the context of family farming, small-scale fisheries and livestock husbandry, some participation of children in non-hazardous activities can be positive as it contributes to the inter-generational transfer of technical and social skills and children’s food security. Improved self-confidence, self-esteem and work skills are attributes often detected in young people engaged in some aspects of farm work. Therefore it is important to distinguish between light duties that do no harm to the child and child labour, which is work that interferes with compulsory schooling and damages health and personal development, based on hours and conditions of work, child’s age, activities performed and hazards involved.

Consequences of child labour

consequences of child labour

Injuries among Young Workers

One quarter of economically active children suffer injuries or illnesses while working, according to an International Labor Organization survey of 26 countries.Each year, as many as 2.7 million healthy years of life are lost due to child labor, especially in agriculture.Many of the industries that employ large numbers of young workers in the United States have higher-than-average injury rates for workers of all ages, such as grocery stores, hospitals, nursing homes, and agriculture.

Why do young workers have more accidents than adults?




Metal Worker

India, 1995

Photo: David Parker

“Unskilled” and labor-intensive jobs may be risky.Training and supervision may be inadequate.Work may be illegal and inappropriate.Lesser experience at work can increase the risk of aaccidents.

Poverty: An Additional Risk Factor

Low-income youth are more likely to work in high-risk occupations such as agriculture, mining, and construction.Poverty-related health problems (e.g., malnutrition, fatigue, anemia) increase the risks and consequences of work-related hazards and may lead to permanent disabilities and premature death.

Psychosocial Effects of Child Labor

Long hours of work on a regular basis can harm children’s social and educational development.
U.S. adolescents who work more than 20 hours per week have reported more problem behaviors (e.g., aggression, misconduct, substance use), and sleep deprivation and related problems (falling asleep in school). They are more likely to drop out of school and complete fewer months of higher education.The unconditional worst forms of child labor (e.g., slavery, soldiering, prostitution, drug trafficking) may have traumatic effects, including longer term health and socioeconomic effects.

Hazards of Agricultural Child Labor

child labour causing danger to children

child labour causing danger to children

Working conditions that are safe and healthy for adults may not be safe and healthy for children because of their physical differences. Risks may be greater for children at various stages of development and may have long-term effects. Factors that may increase the health, safety, and developmental risk factors for children include:

Match Factory Worker

India, 1993

Photo: David Parker

• Rapid skeletal growth
• Development of organs and tissues
• Greater risk of hearing loss
• Developing ability to assess risks
• Greater need for food and rest
• Higher chemical absorption rates
• Smaller size
• Lower heat tolerance