Critical Analysis of Child Labor free essay sample

In a cramped, one-room home on the outskirts of Manila, Maryann Aroma, thirteen, and her two sisters glue the ears, earrings, and necklaces on stuffed toys made for export. Their mother has forced the girls to work since age eleven. In India, at the age of twelve, Mohammed Salahuddin works sixteen hours a day in a factory located just outside of New Delhi, embroidering elegant sequined jackets. It is a troubling image for a parent to realize the wrapped sweater or plastic toy that will excite their child’s little hands this holiday season may have another pair of little hands behind them. In China, Thailand, and other developing countries, children as young as five are working to produce toys or pack clothing that will be enjoyed by more privileged kids overseas. (Morris) In the short story entitled â€Å"Live Free and Starve† by Chitra Divakaruni, child labor is closely critiqued and examined. Divakaruni feels that labor could be a good thing because it keeps food on the table and a roof over their head. She argues that although it is true that they are only paid a small amount of money, it is just enough to get by. If these children were not working, they would be begging on the streets, hungry for food. Her conclusion on the matter is to leave the laws unchanged because she feels that the opposing life that these kids could have may be worse. Child labor in third world countries is similar to slavery. Although the course of the extent of abuse varies throughout each country, the majority of children are treated like slaves. The biggest difference between the lives of these children and slavery is the payment, which is usually around fourteen dollars a month. Abuse is common and even murder happens occasionally. It is true that the lives of these children will not change over night, but it is necessary to make laws towards improving the conditions in which these kids work so that change can eventually come. By analyzing the lives of these young foreign children, I have come to the conclusion that all governments should take steps towards banning labor. In the dictionary, child labor is defined as, â€Å"1. Work done by kids full-time under the age of fifteen. 2. 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. † (Child Labor Definition) There are many reasons why child labor should be stopped, but the most significant reason is to stop or slow the pain and suffering of these young and innocent children. This form of labor is not work, but abuse. â€Å"Overall, the government estimat es that 800,000 of Bolivia’s children work as laborers. Many work in hazardous conditions as prostitutes, drug-traffickers, in quarries and mines, or on farms and in factories† (Henne). As they strive for perfection, worried about getting fired, many injuries take place, but yet they must keep working. Ministers, attending a conference in the state-owned arts and crafts center in the medieval city of Fez, Morocco, drink coffee and sip tea. As they are relaxing, five-year-old girls and boys are working their fingers to the bone in the back room, weaving carpets for tourists. Because some are not tall enough to reach the tables, they must stand on wooden boxes. Their arms have cuts and scrapes where their scissors have missed the wool. They are timed, being continually reminded that they must keep weaving at a fast pace in order to get paid. For all of their hard work, their parents only receive the U. S. equivalent to ten dollars a month for working ten hour days. While the children are still working, the rich ministers pull away in their limos, thinking nothing about the life that these young people live. (Economist) By hearing this story, many people may have feelings of sympathy and heartache for the kids living this nightmare, but will never be able to comprehend the pain and suffering these children face every day. Two-hundred and fifty million children, aged five to fourteen are working, half of them full-time† (Harrison). These children work long hours in unhealthy conditions, but it is the only way for their families to survive. Many use hazardous pesticides, chemicals, or dangerous tools and machines. The children are beaten and left without a normal childhood or education, causing physical and psyc hological wounds. Attempts of banning child labor have been unsuccessful. Another reason child labor should be stopped is for the sake of education. Child laborers are at a disadvantage. The drop-out rate is four times higher in poor families compared to relatively better-off families (Access to an Education). The simple achievement of graduating is low, and extremely low in underdeveloped countries. â€Å"As compared to China, the coefficient of efficiency in school is ninety-four percent in the case of China, as compared to only sixty-six percent in the case of India† (Access to Education). Why are poor families or child laborers at a disadvantage? For starters, these kids are working long hours and it is hard to find the time to get an education. If they do find the time, many of the kids are too tired to attend school or to concentrate for long periods of time. It is true that the parents could force their children to attend school, and could improve their children’s marketable labor skills later in life, but their income can not afford this luxury. Although I feel education is important, some people feel differently. A frequently asked question is, â€Å"What is the point of an education when the current system produces 100,000 jobless graduates per year? † (International). They believe that if a child is just going to work in a factory the rest of his life, what is the point of wasting money on an education? This is a very reasonable argument, but education is the best investment a country can make. â€Å"It is not higher education alone that is important, but raising literacy levels among the population that makes for improvement† (Access to Education). Not only is the schooling important, but the atmosphere in which kids learn is also very important. It is essential for the normal development of the child. Spending all day working in these harsh conditions, social development will be lacking. â€Å"In the State of the World’s Children Report 1997, it reported that an estimated six billion dollars is needed annually to put every child in school by the year 2000. That may seem like an enormous sum, yet it is less than one percent of what the world spends every year on weapons. They recommend that donor governments set aside part of their official development assistance to other countries for children’s basic social needs† (Exploitative Child Labor). The final reason I believe child labor should be banned is because of the psychological effect it has on these young children. Child labor is not only physically abusive, but also very mentally abusive. Mental abuse is extremely hard to recover from, and affects many children for the rest of their lives. The intense working conditions, working without breaks, and the physical injuries, may cause intense stress and psychological wounds. A young mother who had children who worked as military laborers recalls, â€Å"My children couldn’t eat. They were always shaking and crying out in their sleep, thinking the house was on fire. They wouldn’t let us put the lights on in the evening because they were so afraid† (Gorvett). Following a traumatic event such as war or child labor, treatment is very necessary. The number of children seeking treatment is not enough. It is true that treatment is difficult, but it can be very successful. â€Å"One child in five shows deep disturbing symptoms such as insomnia, incontinence, and rejection of learning. That suggests need for deep psychiatric treatment† (Godoy). Of course the best solution would be to stop child labor all together; to stop the pain and suffering of these young and innocent children, but until something is done, we must try to keep the children in the best psychological health possible. Child labor causes much controversy around the world, and these three examples play a major role. It is important to protect children from physical damage, to provide an education, and to keep them in good mental health. With child labor existing, all three of these goals remain extremely hard to accomplish. These children are not slaves, but yet they are being treated as slaves. They have no opportunity to live a normal life. While American children are going to school and playing outside, less fortunate kids in other countries are working upwards of ten hours a day, being constantly reminded that they must work efficiently in order to receive their pay. While these children are working their fingers to the bone, we Americans are playing with the toys that other kids have spent hours making. Yet, we tend to think nothing about it.