Child Labor

St. Mary’s Academy – Pasay High School Department School Year: 2009 - 2010

Submitted by: Charmane Jay P. Maranan H1- Our Lady of Lourdes

Submitted to: Ms. Mary Chile Lajara

Ara ling Panlipunan Teacher

Child labor has been a world wide social issue wherein children or minors are forced to work. Young as they are, they are already experiencing working rather than being in school studying. According to studies the leading cause of child labor in many countries has been poverty. Poverty in which children tend to work for their families to be able to live common jobs that are done by children are selling of different products like flowers, especially sampaguitas or collecting of plastic bottles and selling it to junk shops. This research will be devoted to tackling the connection of poverty to child labor.

Child Labor Law The Philippines has a child labor law which clearly states that any child aged 18 and below shall not be allowed to work unless the child has been secured with legal document from the Department of Labor and employment

Child Labor and Poverty Poor families often rely on the labors of their children for survival, and sometimes it is their only source of income. This type of work is often hidden away because it is not always in the industrial sector. Child labor is employed in subsistence agriculture and in the urban informal sector; child domestic work is also important. In order to benefit

children, child labor prohibition has to address the dual challenge of providing them with both short-term income and long-term prospects. Some youth rights groups, however, feel that prohibiting work below a certain age violates human rights, reducing children's options and leaving them subject to the whims of those with money.

Nearly 30% of population in poor countries are poorest of poor who are not even able to earn enough for one day food with big family have to largely depend on children to earn and feed. Parents of these children are mainly illiterate or semi literate are unable to find jobs, which can provide enough salary. Dream of education to children is impossible unless suitable employment opportunities made available to at least one person in the family. Simply by opening schools and providing books are not sufficient measures. We need to understand the reason behind child labor that is poverty and unemployment. Minimizing poverty and creation of more and more suitable jobs to parents are the only solution of eradication of majority of child labor problem.

Reaction/Conclusion/Realizations I learned so many things from this research. For me children are really not supposed to work because it is the parent’s responsibility to find a living. We should also consider that at the present condition of our society in which poverty prevails is that it is unwise for perents to have more children than they could actually support. I also realized the importance of parents guidance in a child’s life which is really beneficial to the child. For children of my age if you are being forced to work by your parents and guardians you should not be afraid to tell authorities .

Sources http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_labor

http://members.tripod.com/~sadashivan_nair/childlabourandsociety/index.html http://www.dole.gov.ph/labor_codes.php?id=44