NEWS position on Child Labour
This is a short version of NEWS position on Child Labour only. If you want to read the whole document, click on here.
NEWS recognises that it is necessary to make a distinction between “child labour” and “child work”. Light work that does not have a negative impact can be positive and make useful contributions to a child’s personal and social development.
Poverty is one of the main causes of child labour in developing countries. It’s the responsibility of the state to avoid child labour and support solutions.
Fair Trade can make a contribution to fulfilling the rights of the child - community development projects aimed at improving educational, nutritional and health opportunities can be funded by the increased income generated from fair trading practices
As children mostly have to work in order to supplement their family’s income, European Worldshops do not support the call for an immediate ban on all forms of child labour - this would force children’s work underground where there is no possibility of protecting children from harmful or economic exploitation.
The involvement of children in production process is to be discouraged, but where this can not be avoided, organisations are monitored to make sure that the number of working hours are limited, children do not work under hazardous conditions and that during working hours they have access to the following:
- schooling (formal or informal)
- time for playing
- nutritious meals
- supervision
These situations should be temporary. The goal is always to abolish child work within the Fair Trade movement.
