Child Labor

Define: Child Labor

• defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and

that is harmful to physical and mental development.

It refers to work that:

• is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children; and

• interferes with their schooling by:• depriving them of the opportunity to attend school;

• obliging them to leave school prematurely; or

• requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work.

Extreme forms:• involves children being enslaved, separated from their

families, exposed to serious hazards and illnesses and/or left to fend for themselves on the streets of large cities – often at a very early age.

Child labor involves at least one of the following characteristics:• Violates a nation’s minimum age laws

• Threatens children’s physical, mental, or emotional well-being

• Involves intolerable abuse: child slavery, child trafficking, debt bondage, forced labor, or illicit activities

• Prevents children from going to school

• Uses children to undermine labor standards

Causes of Child Labor

Child labor persists even though laws and standards to eliminate it exist.

Poverty and unemployment levels are high.

Access to compulsory, free education is limited.

Existing laws or codes of conduct are often violated.

The global economy intensifies the effects of some factors.

Effects of Child Labour

Child labour deprives a child of a proper childhood.

Suffers from physical and mental torture.

Become mentally and emotionally mature too fast which is a dangerous sign.

Child labour creates and perpetuates poverty.

It condemns the child to a life of unskilled, badly paid work.

Leads to child labour with each generation

of poor children undercutting wages.

Factors of Child Labor

Educational failure

Parents questioned whether basic education was relevant for providing their children’s need to gain experience. Others complained of the burden of school expenses.

Poor scholastic performance

Learn a profession

To gain experience

Contribute to family income

Provide income for family

Earn own money

Cover own needs

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7658

AN ACT PROHIBITING THE EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN BELOW 15 YEARS OF AGE IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE UNDERTAKINGS, AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE

SECTION 12, ARTICLE VIII OF

R. A. 7610.