What is the difference in the prevalence and conditions of child labour in developing and developed countries? Why does this difference exist? .
Response .
Child labour is the employment of children in any work that deprives children of their juvenility by interfering with their ability to attend school, and by victimizing them mentally, physically, socially or morally. Being considered exploitative by most international organizations, legislations prohibit child labour extensively. Given that, a rise in household income, greater availability of schools and passing of child labour laws form a causational link with the abatement of child labour. A breakdown of the professions in which child labour is rampant demonstrates that 60% of child labourers are involved in agricultural activities such as farming, fisheries and forestry, service activities such as retail, hawking goods, restaurants, domestic help, and other services constitute 25% of the child workforce, while the remaining 15% labour in assembly and manufacturing in informal economies, home-based enterprises, factories, mines, packaging salt and operating machinery.1 Illicit activities such as drug production, trafficking, and sexual slavery also exploit child workers. .
Global Perspective.
Disparity is prevalent in the situation and quantitative strength of child labour in LEDCs (Less Economically Developed Countries) and MEDCs (More Economically Developed Countries). The International Labour Organization (ILO) entitles poverty as the dominating originator of child labour. For impoverished households, income from a child's work – this constitutes 25-40% of the gross household earnings – serves as imperative for his or her own survival and for that of the household. Amongst 2.2 billion children globally, 1 billion live under poverty2 , with a preponderance of them in developing countries within the African continent, demonstrating the link between poverty and child labour statistically.
