Due to availability of numerous variables which have to be taken into account, the issue of child labor is rather complex and tricky to resolve at once. For this reason, it is important to define what the notion of child labor means. To my mind, child labor is work that can somehow harm children: prevent them from attending school, threaten their health, and force them to harmful activities. Moreover, in its worst display, child labor is illegal in most countries for it violates minimum age laws.
The most influential reason for child labor to occur is the growing gap between the rich and the poor. Children have no other choice accept starting to work in order to save their families from extreme poverty. It is significant to understand that child labor is not aimed at earning some money for the additional goods, such as buying a new cell phone or notebook. On the contrary, it is the last chance for children to obtain the ability to satisfy the initial needs of their families in food and water. For this reason, they become involved as laborers in manufacturing, mining, and agriculture. Moreover, some sources also appoint that children become involved in drug trade, prostitution, and such traumatic activities as serving as soldiers (Herumin, 2007).
From my ethical perspective, the phenomenon of child labor is viewed as dramatically negative. Children are completely unprotected as laborers. Their initial rights as human beings are violated. The pay for their work is too low compared to the losses they suffer. I believe that, in order to reduce child labor, one has to seek for the solution in the very cause of this phenomenon. Until child labor remains one of the easiest ways to increase the wealth of the rich, it will not disappear. Person who sits in a cosy armchair can hardly understand why it is incorrect to buy goods produced by children when they cost less than the same goods produced by adult laborers. Numbers are rather important in our society; however, it is really sad that they frequently cover humanism. Thus, the only thing left is educating children. It cannot save them for sure from child labor. However, it can give them some additional chances. The more educated the person is, the more skills he/she has which can help to find a better job. Moreover, even from the point of view of economics, it is better to invest in people’s education because it will bring greater return than child labor which gives no ways for personal development. It is rather sad that humanity is majestic enough to seek water on Mars staying not able to satisfy the very initial needs of children on Earth.
Reference
Herumin, W. (2007). Child labor today: A human rights issue (Issues in focus today). New Jersey: Enslow Publishers, Inc.
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