Child Labor

By: Rachel Kleean and Austin McDowell

Background Information

Child labor in Africa is the employment of children in a manner that deprives them of their childhood, and is harmful to their physical and mental development. "In sub-haran Africa their are 50 million, in fact 26% of children are involved in child labor."(Kindernothilfe) "There are more than 312,000 children working in cocoa fields and in fact cocoa field work is one of the worst forms of child labor." (foodispower) Adding on to the work in cocoa fields 64% of plantation workers are less than 14 years old.


"Child Labor is closely related to poverty in families. Unemployment, unfair distribution of land, indebtedness and price drops for raw material lead to the situation where families become dependent on the work of their children. Lack of social security and reductions in social expenditure by many governments show that there is a direct link between the exploitation of children as a source of labor and the development of the world economy." (kindernothilfe)


Children are exposed to accidental and other injuries at work. Some are major and some are minor. Not only are the effects phyisical, but they're also mental. Some children can feel emotionally neglected such as a deprivation of family love and affection, resulting in loneliness, and hopelessness. Also because of the effects and all of the children's time is used towards labor, the children have a lack of opportunity for higher education for older children deprives the nation of developing higher skills and technological capabilities that are required for economic development and transformation to attain higher income and better standards of living.


I have an impression that there is consensus all over the world about banning child labor. Any sensitive and sensible individual would not like a child to undergo the coercion of daily labor for survival. Apparently; this conscientious feeling has been transformed into international consensus. But child labor still continues. The egalitarian desire of banning it and making laws arbitrarily have not been adequatly satisfactory and effective. The reason for this is child labor is a result of educational policy that is bereft of productive domain.


Child labor is a complex problem that requires comprehensive, multi-faceted solutions. That won't happen immediately until we start today.

Works Cited

Works Cited

Aide Internationale pour l’efance, “Finding Solutions” solutions

Global Viewpoints, “Child Labor” Farmington Hills MI, Christine Nasso, 2009

International Labor Organization, “What Is Child Labor” 1996-2014

International Labor Organization, “Causes and Consequences Of Child Labor in Ethiopia” 1996-2014