I have seen this situation in my life. Probably my thinking is also the same as contractor manager Mr.. Mohammad Aimed. Know how developing countries are struggling to become developed countries because I spent 22 years of my life in a developing country. It is very hard for all developing countries to be a developed country in a few years. Developing countries can’t be developed countries just by improving one major field; they need to make progress in many areas.
Whenever I think about developing countries, I wonder why all of these countries are struggling to reach at developed level. The answer may be poverty, corruption, bribe, or terrorism to name a few. It may be all of these reasons combined. Think about it this way: if one country is suffering from all these major problems, how can that country be a developed country? Is there any relevant answer? Child Labor is a major problem of globalization, but it particularly affects children in developing countries.
Child labor is child employment in cases in which he or she is deprived of a childhood, attending school, and is harmful in any way. Before 1940, many children from 5-14 years old worked in many different countries in differing manual labor situations. Child labor reached new extremes during the Industrial Revolution period; children were working long hours, in dangerous conditions, for little money. In developing countries, with high poverty and poor schooling opportunities, child labor is prevalent.
Child labor is still prevalent in developing countries with high poverty and poor education opportunities. Throughout the world agriculture and manufacturing sectors are the most predominant form of child labor, in which settings they are exposed to many hazardous conditions. The majority of children are employed by their parents in rural settings and informal urban economies. A lack of schools and finances is considered by some to be the primary cause of child labor. Work related injuries are caused by child labor mainly. According to Compassion International, Inc. “an estimated 6 million work-related injuries occur among children annually, which results in 2. 5 million disabilities and 32,000 fatalities every year. ” Not only are children involved in child labor susceptible to physical injuries, but also exposed to toxins and chemical hazards. These physical injuries often affect the child’s health, and in turn negatively impacts education and academic performance; along with these causal factors on education, another factor may be lack of time to study because the families are forcing them to work.
A study conducted in Egypt found that: Many fathers couldn’t find work or were unemployed for health reasons that were a result of them having worked too long hours, in conditions that negatively impacted their health as children. For example, one man had worked in pottery factories since childhood and was blinded as a result. Thus, one of his sons was then forced at the age of 8 to provide for the family and engage in full-time work. There are a lot of problems behind child labor.
The term child labor seems to be small concept, but it has a lot of components, such as: a) Child Abuse b) Small wages compared to adults c) Onto proper working environment d) Poverty e) Family problems f) Declined economic growth g) Lack of adequate education facilities h) Rural-urban economic gap and income inequalities According to my point of view: Government plays an important role in the case of child labor; For example, Shallot district government is spending 70 percent of budget on education. It is an impressive step that the government took to control child labor to try to education children and make their future bright.
On the other hand, parents, contractors, and managers also have responsibilities that don’t force them to work if they are under age. A long-term impact of the ILL-EPIC Soccer Ball project was to convince the people of the Shallot district that children must not be denied their right to be children, right to education, recreation, and health coverage. As Milton Friedman said, “The social responsibility of Business is to increase its profit”. Companies are increasing profit with the help of child labor but they are playing with the children’s lives and future.
Companies are taking work full time work from them but they aren’t paying them according to their working hours. They are harming them by giving them less salary. Children can’t affords their meals from that salary. Under- age children are working in repetitive industries and companies but there is nobody who can raise their voice against child labor. From MBA oath principles: All of the principals are useful and have deep meaning if everyone follows them in their daily life. If one company is using them and the other isn’t using them, all of those principles are useless. Child labor is the same case.
One country is trying to control child labor and they have strict laws in favor of child labor but other countries are not taking strict steps. Today, if all countries are going to take resolution then child labor will vanish from this beautiful world. I have many child labor examples that I have seen in my lifetime. Sometimes we become emotional when we see how children are doing hard work for little pay. They also have dreams like other children. They want to watch television shows, movies, play games, and eat good food, to name a few; but they are feeling that they all are stuck in a web of work.
The following are my personal examples of what I have seen in my life: 1) Children under the age of 15 are working at tea shops. They are going from one to another government or private department. They are delivering tea with some snacks, table to table. They are serving tea to high level departments but there is nobody who can raise a voice against child labor. They are serving tea without footwear and most of the children have just one pair of clothes. 2) Children are working at street food shops (similar to food trucks in the United States).
Children are working there at very low salaries of around 000 rupees per month (approximately 15 dollars). They are washing utensils and wiping the tables. Sometimes we feel bad when we see children washing utensils with cold water if the weather is 15 to 20 degrees Celsius or lower. They don’t have a proper dish washing room, so the children have to wash utensils under the open sky. It doesn’t matter if it is day or night, hot or cold, raining or sunny. They have to do their work for just 15 dollars. 3) Children are doing work in industries such as chemical, tires or construction sites and agriculture.
They are working there without any training or work experience. They are lifting more than their own body weight. I have seen some children working at a construction site. They were carrying 8 to 9 bricks on their heads. Assume that one brick is 6 to 7 pounds; if they are carrying 8 to 9 bricks it means they are carrying 64 to 72 pounds at a time. What is the weight of one child who is around 10 year old? The answer must be around 60 pounds. 4) Once I saw an eight-year-old boy making his livelihood by showing a playful monkey in a running train and some girls were dancing.
What is the difference between qualified management personnel from plopped countries and management personnel from developing countries? It is an important and difficult question to answer. Management personnel from developing countries are well trained. Companies spend much money on their training process, on their practices, and teach the employees all the company’s rules and regulations. Trainers always encourage them to obey the compass policies. They shouldn’t harm any shareholders or stakeholders. If they are noticing that someone is going to harm the company’s new decision, they should show see red flag.
They shouldn’t worry about profit; Customer satisfaction and heir safety is always their first priority. In the case of developing countries, due to the economic situation, companies aren’t spending much money and time on employees’ training and personal development. Also many companies don’t have proper policies, procedures, and practices; nevertheless, no government regulating bodies are existing in these countries. Many questions are coming to my mind after reading Third-World Families at Work Case. Who is responsible for child labor?
There are a number of answers such as parents, government, management, and society. It is not the fault of one particular person. According to Mr.. Jonathan Stein, child labor should be illegal and abounded in the world. Every child has the right to enjoy his or her life without any work burden. Mr.. Stein was from North America Country where child labor is illegal, according to the case. He went to Pakistan and saw children working at the contract site. It is illegal there but children are working to feed themselves, their parents, and their siblings.
Child laborers often worked to help support their families. Developing countries economic conditions aren’t good. Government can’t pay poor families. They have to figure out any way to survive. Inflation rates are going up every day. Multinational companies’ management has made the same rules and regulations for all countries wherever they have businesses, but it is very hard for developing countries’ management to follow those company laws in their daily life. The same happened with Timothy and Thomas organization. Developed management has no idea what it’s like to live in developing countries.
Stein said to Aimed, “you guys are breaking the global guidelines for business partners prohibited the use of child labor”. Developing countries can’t follow those laws as developed countries. People can easily make fake documents to show that their child is over 14 or the children themselves lie because they need money to survive. If looked at the third-world families’ case, would totally agree with Mrs.. Aimed. He is trying to explain the situation to Mr.. Stein, and every reason he gives is relevant. Personally, I would like to say that if Mr..
Stein spent approximately one year in a developing country and his thinking also changes very easily. It is the effect of the atmosphere. We could say that it is there culture. One more prevalent issue in some Asian countries is to give the very first preference to boys. People think hat one day girls have to go with their husbands or In-laws houses; that’s why they treat boys as if they are more important in regards to getting an education if it is financial feasible. Some mothers get an abortion if they find that they will have a baby girl, because they can’t afford female children’s education and other expenses.
There are many possible solutions to control child labor, such as following: 1) To give jobs to the child’s adult relatives – The families wouldn’t be suffering, plus adult wages are generally much higher than child wages. 2) Eradicating of child labor – Push the government to join social organizations hat will try to control child labor. Government also should help the social organizations with financial aids because they all are nonprofit organizations. 3) Education – Government should provide free primary and secondary education for lower income class family children. ) Promotion to children labor education – Government and nonprofit organizations must do a road show or other activities to motivate children in poverty and insist that they go to school and get educated. The slogan in India is “FOOD, CLOTHES & SHELTER is the first right for everyone. ” Why are companies hiring children? I have stated many disadvantages of child labor. Now, I would like to list the advantages for primary and indirect stakeholders. This will allow insight into the reasons in which child labor is occurring. Advantages for Primary Stakeholders: a) Child labor is cheaper as compared to adult labor. ) They wouldn’t calculate working hours or salary because most of them are illiterate. Children accept their payment without complaint from the managers. C) Children are better workers. D) No need to spend money on their training or other expenses. E) Manufacturing cost goes down for items such as toys, furniture, and clothes. ) Children can work anywhere, at any time because they need money. G) Company labor cost wouldn’t go up by much. Advantages for Indirect Stakeholders: a) Children can bring money to their family. B) Children are learning the trade which can be of use later in life. ) Children are cutting down the prices of the products because of their low salary. The Stakeholder Theory broadens the first perspective, recognizing the importance of wealth creative as well as the firm’s relationships with its multiple constituent groups- shareholders, creditors, employees, customers, suppliers, coagulators and local communities and impact on society at large. According to the nonprofit organization, Compassion International, Inc. , several child labor facts are important to know: 1. There are an estimated 27 million slaves in the world today- more than any other time in history. . 218 million children aged 15 to 17 are involved in child labor worldwide. 3. Globally, 1 in 6 Children work. 4. The international labor organizations (ILL) estimated that more than two thirds of all child labor is in the agricultural sector. Children in rural areas begin agricultural labor as young as 5-7 years old 5. 26 million children work in hazardous conditions, often enduring beatings, humiliation and sexual violence by their employers. 6. The highest numbers of child laborers are in the Asia/ Pacific region, where there are 122 million working children. 7.
The highest proportion of child laborers is in Sub Sahara Africa, where 26 percent of children (49 million) are involved in work. The Following is the child labor Index map from 2014. It is showing us where child labor has extreme risk, high risk, medium risk, and low risk in the whole world. There are also rankings of the highest to lowest risks for child abort in several countries. It is an extreme risk in all of these countries. Pakistan has sixth worst country regarding the child labor case. We could say that, those countries with larger populations have more extreme child labor issues.
Most of the African and Asian countries are suffering from child labor problems and most of these countries are developing countries. In 201 2, there were approximately 168 million child laborers in the world; more than two-thirds were 5 to 14 years old. Worldwide, it is estimated that some 22,000 children are killed at work every year. It is embarrassing news for the countries’ government. Governments aren’t try to control it immediately; they are working on other issues currently that don’t involve child labor. The government in developing countries should learn how developed countries have child labor under control.
Source: http://educational. Org/explore/barriers-to-education/poverty/child-labor In summary, I believe that if government supports children and their families who are in poverty, then child labor percentages can decrease very easily and rapidly. It is a big issue for developed and all developing countries. According to my point of view, all countries should have to be together to end hill labor, as all countries are together in preventing terrorism. In developing countries, with high poverty and poor education opportunities, child labor is still prevalent.
Worldwide, agriculture is the largest employer of child labor. The urban economies. A lack of schools and finances is considered by some to be the primary cause of child labor. We have to control it in the 21st century, otherwise it will be a big problem for all the developing and developed countries. The government should help the nonprofit organizations that are struggling and trying hard to work against child labor. I really appreciated their work and how hose organizations are motivating children and parents and teaching them that education plays an important role in children’s lives.
The United Nations Global is an example of this. According to UN global, they have “a motive to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor and environment and anti-corruption. ” There are also other ways to make the public aware about these UN Global principles through media, social networking sites, and publicity by celebrities. Noticed one thing in Asian countries: most of the parents are illiterate. They onto know the value of education.
They just recommend to their children to do same labor what they have been doing since their childhood. Parents being illiterate is yet another factor of child labor. Society has to change their thinking. First preference shouldn’t be given to boys. They must think that girls have the same rights to live happy lives as boys do. Today, girls are more intelligent than boys. Owners of big industries should try not to hire children at their business site. Although, they have millions of businesses, they should start donating to charities or nonprofit organizations who are trying to decrease hill labor.
