Child labour is a problem throughout the world today, especially in less developed countries. Child labour is increased in rural areas where the laws to enforce minimum age requirements for schooling and work are lacking. Children work for a variety of reasons, the most important being poverty. Though children are not well paid, they still serve as major contributors to family income in developing countries. Several manufactures from developed countries look for places with cheap labour to fabricate their products. Purchasing products which are manufactured by child labour contributes to the suffering and the exploitation in hazardous work places of innocent children.
In Canada, child abuse of any kind is one of the most punishable acts. However, the nation, unintentionally promotes child abuse in countries around the world. Around the world, almost 250 million children, from and ages of 4 to 14 work full-time in hazardous work conditions. These children are forced to work in locked shops, with armed guards preventing their escape. They are forced to perform tedious tasks, such as sewing buttons, cutting and trimming threads, folding, moving and packing garments. Children as young as 8 years old are forced to work as cleaners, traders and prostitutes without pay, and sometimes without food. These children suffer punishments as having hot oil poured down their backs, or being tied down so that they do not run away. Most work around 12 hours a day, with only small breaks for meals. The children are very often fed only minimum amounts of food. The majority of child workers who cannot return home at night sleep alongside of the factory walls, further increasing sickness and poor health. .
Many top selling brands have used child labour to manufacture their products. One of these brands is Nike Inc. Nike is a sporting goods brand. They manufacture athletic footwear, clothing, and sporting equipment.