No Way Out?
Child labour is actually forbidden, but does this really solve the problem?
Think about this: many children have to work to help their families survive. If weren’t allowed to work, their families would be even poorer. Many children have to work because they are orphans. They have to work to survive.
It isn’t enough to forbid child labour because these children need to find a way to survive. They might start to beg or to steal.
Do you agree that this makes their life even more dangerous?
So, what could help these children then? Here are three possibilities:
1. Parents should earn enough money so they do not have to rely on their children to work. They should get a fair wage.
2. Children should go to school. They will learn skills t hat will help them to earn a living in the future. Then their children won’t have to work to support them.
3. Children who have to work still have rights! They should not be exploited. They should have the time to go to school. And they should get paid for their work, of course.
One way to reduce exploitative child labour is a special kind of trade: Fair Trade.
