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Where Is Child Labor Still Happening?

For those living in wealthy nations, child labor may seem like a bygone problem, but today there are still millions of child laborers, many involved in hazardous work. So where is child labor still happening? About half of child workers, around 72.1 million kids, are in Africa, and there are 62.1 million child workers in Asia and the Pacific. [1] The worst nations in terms of child labor include Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad and Bangladesh. These kids work in various industries, including agriculture, mines, manufacturing and garment factories. [2] Child labor is more prevalent in the world’s poorest countries, where impoverished families may see no other option for survival. For example, according to a report by the International Labor Organization, 56 percent of brickmakers in Afghanistan are children. One of them was 11-year-old Sima, who worked 13 hours a day, 6 days a week. At the time of the report, she had already been making bricks in the kilns for five
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What Are Child Labor Statistics?

When it comes to child labor, statistics run the risk of reducing the problem to a litany of numbers, but it’s important to remember that these numbers represent real children with their own stories. Now, let’s consider some of those statistics. There are about 152 million children considered to be victims of child labor around the world. Almost half of them, 73 million, are employed in hazardous jobs, and up to a fourth of all hazardous labor is done by children under 12 years of age. The industrial sector, including mining, makes up about 12 percent of all child labor. [1] According to one report, an estimated 40 percent of artisanal miners in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are children. Of the more than 50 child miners surveyed and interviewed, 19 percent said they had seen another child die on the mining site, 87 percent said they experience body pain, many had been injured, 67 percent had frequent coughs and several girls reported genital infections from working in wai
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What Are Some Facts about Child Labor?

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Facts about child labor are startling and frustrating, but many people and organizations are working to end this practice. The United Nations’ Target 8.7, in its Sustainable Development Goals, says its members need to “take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms.” [1] Even with such a directive, however, child labor remains a thorny, complicated problem to solve worldwide. Across the globe, about 152 million children are forced into child labor. Some companies use children to maximize their gain as children are the least expensive labor. Additionally, children have little to no bargaining power and they are easy to manipulate. Because there are so many desperately impoverished families, employers can take advantage of their dire need for extra income.
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What Is Child Labor?

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The question “what is child labor?” may seem outdated, a problem that belongs in the last couple of centuries rather than today. Since its zenith in the Industrial Revolution, child labor has rightly seen opposition, but it is still a major problem across the globe. Approximately 265 million children in the world—nearly 17 percent of the world’s child population are currently involved in child labor. [1] While progress is being made in resolving this issue, child labor remains present and prevalent, especially in the countries with the lowest standards of living. For example, sub-Saharan Africa has the highest incidence of child labor. [2] So, what is child labor? Not every kid who works is considered a child laborer. It’s considered a positive thing when children who are above the minimum age work at a job that does not negatively affect their health, development or schooling. This includes employment at a family business or earning extra pocket money after school or during breaks. T
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Where Is Child Labor Still Happening?

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To understand where is child labor still happening, you have to ask what kinds of industries employ children. The number one industry that uses child labor by far is the agricultural sector. [1] It has long been the case that where agriculture is a large part of a country’s economy, you will often find illegal situations where children are working. According to World Atlas, the top three worst countries for child labor include Bangladesh, Chad and The Democratic Republic of Congo. [2] In each of these three countries, agriculture is one of the areas where children are employed. [3] One of the most dangerous forms of child labor in agriculture is harvesting cocoa where children use machetes to help harvest the beans. [4] There are many other countries that also battle this devastating reality of children working. The most dangerous cases of child labor involve mining, human trafficking, child soldiers, prostitution, and more. No child should have to endure this or even have to work l
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What Are Child Labor Statistics?

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Child labor statistics can be found through the United Nations, UNICEF and through the International Labour Organization. Here are some of the most staggering statistics around this devastating global issue: 160 million children worldwide are involved in some form of child labor [1] Of those, more boys than girls are affected in every age group [2] The agricultural sector employs the most children [3] 79 million of the children in labor are in dangerous conditions [4] Sub-Saharan Africa has had the largest increase since 2016 with an additional 16 million children [5] 7.2 million children are engaged in forms of domestic work that equate to child labor [6] What these statistics don’t show are the children in human trafficking, prostitution or pornography. These children are largely hidden from view, so it’s likely the numbers are higher than can be accurately collected. Many different situations lead to children working. It can start simply enough where a family needs extra help earnin
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Where Can I Find Facts about Child Labor?

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Reputable facts about child labor can be found from the following organizations: International Labour Organization United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) United Nations Compassion International World Vision GFA World These organizations provide statistics and strategies for helping children in need worldwide. They are committed to understanding all the underlying issues surrounding child labor so that progress can be made in stopping this global issue. From advocacy to legislation to intervention, many non-governmental organizations are actively addressing and bringing light to the tragedy of children being forced into labor too early. It’s estimated that 160 million children, ages 5-17, are in difficult and often dangerous work situations daily. [1] In addition, more than one-third of children in labor situations are not in school, which is one of the biggest obstacles to escaping poverty’s grip. [2] Without proper education, children are inequipped to get jobs beyond manual labor,
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