The Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Child Labor Practices Globally

This essay examines the pervasive issue of child labor across the globe, highlighting instances in India, Nepal, and Ivory Coast where children are exploited in various industries such as textile manufacturing and cocoa plantations. It discusses how poverty and economic shocks drive children into labor, leading to long-term financial disadvantages. The essay also addresses the complexities of mitigating child labor, noting that some policies can inadvertently worsen the situation by pushing children into more dangerous or exploitative sectors. It emphasizes that child labor perpetuates poverty rather than alleviating it and calls for a focus on education and intervention strategies to protect children from these harmful practices. Desklib offers similar essays and study tools for students.

Running head: ENGLISH ASSIGNMENTS- CHILD LABOR
ENGLISH ASSIGNMENTS- CHILD LABOR
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1ENGLISH ASSIGNMENT- CHILD LABOR
Several minors of around 6 to 7 years of age appear to be severely malnourished as well
as dejected as they sit at their loom shed and engage in stitching high quality rags which are
being manufactured for high price in various parts of the United States (Nowakowski ). Several
times similar distressing events have been witnessed in various parts of the world especially in
India and its neighboring country, Nepal. Such tormenting contrast of frantic poverty has been
apprehensively producing exceptional and resplendent luxurious items for the affluent sections
of the world population. P.J. Tobia through his conversation in the Ted Talk ‘Change Your Role
in Forced and Child Labor’ has narrated the conditions of these minor aged laborers in factories
or workshops who appear to be severely feeble and could lose their physical strength at any
moment (Tobia). However these sweatshops in which several children have been detained as
well as deprived of proper education and families and most importantly sufficient food and
belongings have been working for extensive durations for meager amounts.
From the information attained from reports by Fontana, Lorenza and Grugel of Cocoa
plantation in Ivory Islands it has been observed that both girls as well as boys of under the age of
10 have been exposed to the dreadful acts of child labor. However in such cases children has
been playing a critical role in the type of work the child tends to perform. It is immensely
distressing to note that factors associated to poverty and economic shocks have been distinctively
playing crucial role in determining the market for child labor (Rosenberg). For example, as per
current empirical investigation conducted by World Bank from Brazil has evaluated that early
engagement in workforce tends to mitigate lifetime incomes by an approximate rate of 14-25%
further heightening the tendency of experiencing financial constraints at the later stage of life
(Schulz, Michaela and Kristian ).

2ENGLISH ASSIGNMENT- CHILD LABOR
Worstall claim that broad array of disagreements that have been intending to make a case
for child labor as well as sweatshop industries in recent times are the same voices that used to
rationalize related conditions of child labor few decades ago. However no justification or
validation can explain the severe conditions of millions of minor aged children across the world
who as young as below the age of 5 are obligated to engage in vicious working conditions in
order to produce clothing, footwear, soccer balls or toys which US consumers can purchase at
high rates being aware or unaware of child exploitation or labor (Paton, Elizabeth and
Lazazzera).
In certain cases, regulations and policies formed to mitigate child labor can generate severe
destructive outcomes rather than showing effective results. Few cases have been executed in
countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan whereby several organizations have strictly forbidden
child labor by undergoing immense subjugation from Western consumers (Worstall). However
those child laborers who were engaged in textile factories and other manufacturing plants lost
their jobs overnight and ended up being engaged in less-paid employment sectors with
extensively distressing work settings such as metal working. Furthermore many children working
as laborers have been witnessed to have engaged in criminal acts or sex trade (Fontana, Lorenza
and Grugel). Wide range of industry owners as well as the elite sections of the society where acts
of child exploitation range at a greater extent give diminutive level of consideration if these
financially as well as emotionally deprived children receive justifiable necessities and needs in
their lives. These sections of exploiters perceive such acts as acceptable because of their poverty
stricken lives. However it is highly crucial to note that child labor can never be a reason to
surpass poverty rather child exploitation tends to perpetuate higher level of financial deficiency
(Nowakowski ).

3ENGLISH ASSIGNMENT- CHILD LABOR
Schulz, Michaela and Kristian reveal that the United States used child labor as well as
sweat shop practices during its struggle in order to develop its own industries. This emerges
greater debatable subjects as to the reasons why developing nations like India and Bangladesh
are devoid of such struggle to take initiatives for their own economic growth and progress. Thus
‘protectionists’ exhibiting inclination in contesting child labor must not raise their voices at
informal sectors and further should come out in public arena and witness the real struggles of
children working in distress situations and receive minimal foods and financial benefits
(Rosenberg). Thus it is important for both developed as well as developing nations to efficiently
take education into consideration for minors in order to refrain from the vicious sphere of child
labor.

4ENGLISH ASSIGNMENT- CHILD LABOR
References
Cococast.com. "Change Your Role In Forced And Child Labor | P.J. Tobia | Tedxnashville -
Youtube - Cast To TV - Cococast.Com". Cococast.Com, 2018,
http://www.cococast.com/videocast/detail_web/P1XGkUxU3ZY. Accessed 21 Sept 2018.
Fontana, Lorenza B., and Jean Grugel. "To eradicate or to legalize? Child labor debates and ILO
convention 182 in Bolivia." Global Governance: A Review of Multilateralism and International
Organizations 21.1 (2015): 61-78. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lorenza_Fontana/publication/279335271_To_Eradicate_or
_to_Legalize_Child_Labor_Debates_and_ILO_Convention_182_in_Bolivia/links/
5602c06908aeaf867fb7501c.pdf
Nowakowski, Kelsey. "Child Labor By The Numbers". News.Nationalgeographic.Com, 2015,
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/09/2015-09-26-data-points-children-behind-child-
labor/. Accessed 21 Sept 2018.
Paton, Elizabeth, and Milena Lazazzera. "Inside Italy’S Shadow Economy". Nytimes.Com, 2018,
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/20/fashion/italy-luxury-shadow-economy.html. Accessed 21
Sept 2018.
Rosenberg, Chaim M Child labor in America: a history. Illustrated. Mcfarland, 2013. <
https://books.google.co.in/books?
id=Cf1tAAAAQBAJ&dq=child+labour+US&source=gbs_navlinks_s >.

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Schulz, Michaela, and Kristian F. Braekkan. "Social Justice Attitudes and Concerns for Labor
Standards: An Empirical Investigation of the Theory of Planned Behaviors and Consumer
Actions." SAGE Open 7.1 (2017): 2158244016688135. DOI: 10.1177/2158244016688135
Worstall, Tim. Forbes.Com, 2016, https://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2016/12/19/the-
outrage-of-child-labour-in-bangladeshs-sweatshops/#458fe62e6fe1. Accessed 21 Sept 2018.