Documentary: Child Labour around the World

• published: 23 Aug 2014
• views: 5009

When this footage was shot 20 years ago, showing children working in India, in Columbia, in Egypt and in Russia, jeopardizing their health, growth and education, Governments came together to fight the scourge of child labour. At that time they agreed to a goal that by 2016, no more children would be subjected the more unacceptable forms of labour.But just a few years from the deadline much remains to be accomplished. The claim is that the amount of children that are enforced into child labor has reduced from two hundred and forty six million to two hundred and sixteen million. But still millions of children are languishing in slavery, bought and sold like animals, living in most appalling conditions. Since the convention has been signed great progress has been made, but with the global economic crisis efforts has been scaled back, and that progress is now under threat. Children had been servants and apprentices thought out most of human history, child labour reaches new heights during the industrial Revolution. Children ofter worked 16 hours in dangerous conditions. The small size of children allowed them to move in small spaces in factories or mines where adults couldn't fit, children were easier to manage and control and perhaps most importantly, children could be paid less than adults. Child labors were forced to forgo an education in order to help with the family income. Reformers and labour organizers sought to restrict child labour, but it took a market crash to finally sway public opinion. During the Great Depression, Americans wanted all available jobs to go to adults rather that children. The United States, has one of the most remarkable change in child labour laws in history.