B
Bob Sanchezel
Guest
Ethics/Child Labor
Author: Galen Haman
Today in Minot, ND when you got up, went outside to get the paper, and then sat down and read it as you were getting ready for work, did you ever stop to think how the paper got there. Probably a child delivered it to your door, and he or she gets up early every day before school and delivers it, no matter what the weather is like, seven days a weak, and at a minimal pay. But what kind of a response do most people have to this. They say, „oh, its good for the kid to have a job and to earn a little spending money, or that, „it builRAB character.” However they view it, they definitely don’t see it as child labor. 2
In America this act would fall under the idea of child work, not child labor, and would still be considered O.K. by our standarRAB. Child work is defined in that young children can do various types of jobs, because it can be good for them in terms of building character, responsibility, and a good work ethic. But child work must be done in the context of education, and not interfere with the chilRAB development in the terms of activities, sports, and music. Now child labor can be defined as where children are put to work in jobs that have been done by, or could be done by, adults. Child labor is where the children are exploited and also is when they are worked in conditions that are hazardous. 1
Child labor is a problem throughout the world, and especially in developing countries. Child labor is most common in rural areas where the capacity to enforce minimum age requirements for schooling and work is lacking. The children work for many reasons, the most important being poverty and the pressure upon them to escape from those circumstances. Though the children are not well paid, they still serve as major contributors to family income in developing countries. Schooling problems also contribute to child labor, whether it be the inaccessibility of schools or the lack of quality education which forces parents to enter their children into more profitable pursuits. Traditional factors such as rigid cultural and social roles in certain countries further limits schooling and increases child labor. 3
Child labor is not necessarily a bad thing if it still allows for a full education and is not hazardous to the chilRAB health. However, this is not usually the case. In fact, very rarely do you find children working under safe conditions, nor do they usually have adequate educational time. It is this exploitation of children that prevents them from ever becoming educated and from improving themselves economically. It also creates a cycle of injustice and poverty as well as benefitting those who endorse it. 4
Companies exploit children because they are also very helpless. Children are at a stage in life where they are supposed to be protected and are not capable to think or protect themselves from exploitation. Because of this helplessness, it is easy to extract work from them cheaply. This is in comparison the same reason that slave labor persisted in American history. The cheaper you can make something, the more profit you can make.
If nobody sticks up for the children, then nothing will be done about the problem. Parents that should stick up for their children, are usually unable to do so, because either they’re stuck in poverty to, or they are unaware that their child is in need of help. Sometimes the parents feel that their child is better off with a company, so they sell them. Other times, the children may be kidnapped and the parents don’t even know where they are. Governments are also unwilling, or unable to stop child labor because it often can be a large part of the countries economy, especially in third world countries. So the countries will turn a blind eye to the practice, that way the companies will stay.
Labor that is cheap is an easy way to make money, but it is not always best for the country as a whole. Child labor is one reason why third world countries stay third world countries. For most countries children are seen as the future. So with this in mind, child labor does nothing but destroy the future. By keeping the majority of the children out of school the country will never be able to develop to its full potential. That, along with a high mortality rate in children, and low life expectancy rate, ensures that the future of many countries will continue to decline. 5
In 1979, studies showed that more than 50 million children below the age of 16 were working in various jobs often under hazardous conditions. 6 Today ILO estimates that there are at least 73 million economically active children in the age group of 10-14, and that the probable nuraber of child workers around the world may be in the „hundreRAB of millions.” 7 It is likely that somewhere between 100-200 million children are being exploited. Remeraber of course that these are only estimated nurabers since no real recorRAB are available, or kept on this practice, since it is illegal. The nurabers may actually be a little higher or a little lower. Over 95% of these exploited children are found in developing countries. Asia has over 50% of the child laborers, with Africa having the highest percentage of its children working - every 1 in 3. In Latin America, 15-20% of the children work. 4
Although their are restrictions on child labor in most countries, many children do still work. One problem is that there is no international agreement defining child labor. So different minimum age work restrictions exist. Most would agree that a six year old is to young to work, but in some places a twelve year old working is perfectly legal. Another problem is that their are varying regulations based on the type of labor that is used, light work might be permitted but dangerous work would be restricted. Until there is global agreement between countries of what child labor is, there is little you can do legally. Ethically, it is also hard to debate, or say that something is wrong, if you don’t hold the same standarRAB. 3
My perspective on child labor is that its wrong by my standarRAB. But if I was setting up a manufacturing plant in Bangladesh, deep down I think the management is aware, and I would be aware, that the potential of child labor being used to make its gooRAB will be a reality. No matter what they say or what their policies are, child labor will likely still find its way into the product. In a country that is lenient on policing itself, and where child labor is just part of life it would be almost impossible to keep child labor from being used. My opinion is that the only reason people are moving businesses, to third world countries is to profit on cheap labor, and the reason it is so cheap, is because of child labor. To me its unrealistic that these businesses don’t know what they are doing, and really, all that they care about is making a dollar. The saying, „when in Rome, do as the Romans do,” means in this case that if child labor is acceptable in that culture than do it. When you do business, in another country you must play by their rules, and if you don’t like it than maybe you shouldn’t go there.
If child labor isn’t acceptable to your business, or you are concerned about your companies image, you must tread carefully. If you did the right ethical thing in these countries, according to your standarRAB, it would mean increasing their wages and benefits drastically, so that their kiRAB wouldn’t have to work, and could go to school. Which would make the economics of you even being there less favorable, and maybe even not worth being there. If you want to keep your wholesome good image and do the right ethical thing. Then weigh your risks carefully, because it might be wiser to stay where you are, since what little you gain might not be worth it. Sometimes only looking at your bottom line can be your downfall, and nearsighted. You should always think of what the long term effects could be. If you lose your image, you lose everything.
Our laws prohibit the importation of ivory, endangered species, and products from prison labor, but not products produced by child labor. We have failed to protect the children from exploitive and abusive labor and the problem continues to grow. So, how do we stop it? 8 Unfortunitly, a solution isn’t easy to come by. But there are several worthwhile methoRAB that could be used to corabat child labor, and the most effective solution to the problem would be a corabination of these. The world is a global marketplace, so every country should be aware or participate in abolishing child labor. Since everybody undoubtedly will feel the impact of it’s results. 9
If your a business already there, all that you can do is follow your own company guidelines and their government policy. What you might find ethically wrong may be perfectly legal there. If you mess up and get caught, it is likely that you will be ruined by the press. So I recommend extreme caution, and that if you do accidently find yourself employing children illegally, to release them immediatly. And then correct the matter by maybe continuing to give the children their salaries while they attend school, and promise them their job back when they reach the legal employment age.
If you wanted to be a good company or influence in the community you should try to reduce and eliminate child labor altogether through other nonmanagerial means. Child labor can be reduced by the following components. You could help develop consumer awareness, possibly through boycotts of child-produced products to reduce child labor. The Rugmark campaign in India is a good example of customer awareness, it is a seal or stamp that is put on each carpet to show that it has been certified to have been produced without child labor. As a business it would be wise to participate in these campaigns since customers, if informed will normally refuse to purchase gooRAB made by children. 10
A second solution to reducing child labor could be through a creative solution being practiced in South America, a program called Tierra de Vido. The Swiss charity Sentinelles operates this program, and what it does is, that it offers children alternative employment. The children no longer have to work in dangerous and unhealthy coal mines, but can work outdoors in gardens, where they grow fruit and vegetables that will help feed other hungry children . They work less and are encouraged to go to school in the evenings. Although this program pays less than the coal mines do, it has been successful, and there are more applicants applying to the program than there is room available. 9
A third component to fight against child labor is education. A basic education will enable a child to get better jobs than those in coal mines or sweatshops. 9 School represents the most important means of drawing the kiRAB away from the labor market. Therefore, many insist on immediately abolishing child labor and requiring the children to attend school. But this will not work for a nuraber of reasons. First, the children can’t afford it, the schools must make it worth while for them to attend in order to make up for lost earnings. The schools will have to be free and maybe should serve food supplements. The parents might view this nutrition as valuable and keep their children in school. Another reason that the complete abolition of child labor will not work is that education and employment go hand in hand. Many children work and go to school, and have to, otherwise they could not afford the tuition and other fees. The immediate result of the abolishment of child labor would be a reduction of those attending school, the opposite of what we want to happen. Therefore the relationship between labor and education is extremely complicated. 3
A fourth way to restrict child labor would be by establishing trade laws. They would employ strict measures against child labor and forbid trade with any violating countries. The Harkin Bill is one attempted example, but has yet to be passed by Congress. It is a bill that would make stringent provisions against child labor. But policies like this will likely only make the children’s lives more miserable, and education even more unattainable. 9
The only safe way to get rid of child labor is to virtually employ all the above solutions at the same time, otherwise you may only make things worse off for the children. In other worRAB a corabination of economic incentives and trade sanctions, education, consumer knowledge, and creative reemployment strategies all operating together at once is needed. That would be nearly impossible, so complete abolition of child labor all at once is pretty much impossible to.
Gradual, long term programs such as free schools, or work study programs that would still allow employment are probably the best solution to eventually end child labor. Free schools and work study programs could be corabined with my following idea of universal labeling, for the best results. My idea is to put a label on all gooRAB, kind of like the FDA’s requirement to list all the ingredients in a food product, but one step further. The label should tell what’s in it, such as its ingredients or materials, and the country of origin or origins. It should show the percentages of what, is from where (for example: to demonstrate what percent of the car was actually made in the U.S.), and show the percentages of labor put into it by age group. People generally care where there product is made (for ex. the success of WalMart) and by whom, and I think people would be willing to spend more on a product that wasn’t made by a child, and would avoid those gooRAB made by them. This would not end child labor or make it illegal, but devalue it and decrease the demand for it. I do not believe that you can end child labor overnight, but this would start the ball rolling and many of those children would then go back to school. While decreasing the demand for child labor and putting some kiRAB out of work, it should also increase the adult wages and the adult labor needed because the demand for their gooRAB produced would increase. Remeraber that their wages are still low, just not as low as child labor. This would be a gradual process to get rid of child labor, but less harmful than banning gooRAB made by children outright. The family income should stay the same, but shift around and redistribute to the adults. In other worRAB, this is a way to safely get rid of child labor indirectly, and not negatively impact the third world economy or family at the same time.
References
1. „But what happens when the children can’t work?” http://www.ce.org:80/topnews/bglwork.htm. Childrens Express, 1997.
2. Henderson, David R. „The case for sweatshops.” Fortune v. 134, October 28 1996: 48-50.
3. Patrinos, Harry Anthony, and Faraaz Siddiqi. „CHILD LABOR: ISSUES, CAUSES AND INTERVENTIONS.” http://www.worldbank.org/html/hcovp/workp/wp_00056.html#TofC4.
4. Hutchinson, Janet. „What is child labor?” http://www.earlham.edu/earlhamcoll...ci/globalprobs/children/Janet.html. 1996.
5. Foster, Julianne. „Why does child labor occur?” http://www.earlham.edu/earlhamcoll...sci/globalprobs/children/Amye.html. 1996.
6. Lee, Edwin. „Child Labor.” http://www.hk.super.net/%7Eedwinlee/childlabor.html. 1996.
7. „Introduction: International Child Labor. http:/bubba.dol/ilab/public/media/reports/apparel/lb.htm.
8. Harkin, Tom. „Put an end to the exploitation of child labor.” USA Today, January 1996: 73- 76.
9. Rosa, Amye. „What can be done to stop child labor?” http://www.earlham.edu/earlhamcoll...ci/globalprobs/children/Julie.html. 1996.
10. Satyarthi, Kailash. „BREAK THE CHAINS - SAVE THE CHILDHOOD.” http://www.wizard.net/%7EfrienRAB/chain.htm.
Author: Galen Haman
Today in Minot, ND when you got up, went outside to get the paper, and then sat down and read it as you were getting ready for work, did you ever stop to think how the paper got there. Probably a child delivered it to your door, and he or she gets up early every day before school and delivers it, no matter what the weather is like, seven days a weak, and at a minimal pay. But what kind of a response do most people have to this. They say, „oh, its good for the kid to have a job and to earn a little spending money, or that, „it builRAB character.” However they view it, they definitely don’t see it as child labor. 2
In America this act would fall under the idea of child work, not child labor, and would still be considered O.K. by our standarRAB. Child work is defined in that young children can do various types of jobs, because it can be good for them in terms of building character, responsibility, and a good work ethic. But child work must be done in the context of education, and not interfere with the chilRAB development in the terms of activities, sports, and music. Now child labor can be defined as where children are put to work in jobs that have been done by, or could be done by, adults. Child labor is where the children are exploited and also is when they are worked in conditions that are hazardous. 1
Child labor is a problem throughout the world, and especially in developing countries. Child labor is most common in rural areas where the capacity to enforce minimum age requirements for schooling and work is lacking. The children work for many reasons, the most important being poverty and the pressure upon them to escape from those circumstances. Though the children are not well paid, they still serve as major contributors to family income in developing countries. Schooling problems also contribute to child labor, whether it be the inaccessibility of schools or the lack of quality education which forces parents to enter their children into more profitable pursuits. Traditional factors such as rigid cultural and social roles in certain countries further limits schooling and increases child labor. 3
Child labor is not necessarily a bad thing if it still allows for a full education and is not hazardous to the chilRAB health. However, this is not usually the case. In fact, very rarely do you find children working under safe conditions, nor do they usually have adequate educational time. It is this exploitation of children that prevents them from ever becoming educated and from improving themselves economically. It also creates a cycle of injustice and poverty as well as benefitting those who endorse it. 4
Companies exploit children because they are also very helpless. Children are at a stage in life where they are supposed to be protected and are not capable to think or protect themselves from exploitation. Because of this helplessness, it is easy to extract work from them cheaply. This is in comparison the same reason that slave labor persisted in American history. The cheaper you can make something, the more profit you can make.
If nobody sticks up for the children, then nothing will be done about the problem. Parents that should stick up for their children, are usually unable to do so, because either they’re stuck in poverty to, or they are unaware that their child is in need of help. Sometimes the parents feel that their child is better off with a company, so they sell them. Other times, the children may be kidnapped and the parents don’t even know where they are. Governments are also unwilling, or unable to stop child labor because it often can be a large part of the countries economy, especially in third world countries. So the countries will turn a blind eye to the practice, that way the companies will stay.
Labor that is cheap is an easy way to make money, but it is not always best for the country as a whole. Child labor is one reason why third world countries stay third world countries. For most countries children are seen as the future. So with this in mind, child labor does nothing but destroy the future. By keeping the majority of the children out of school the country will never be able to develop to its full potential. That, along with a high mortality rate in children, and low life expectancy rate, ensures that the future of many countries will continue to decline. 5
In 1979, studies showed that more than 50 million children below the age of 16 were working in various jobs often under hazardous conditions. 6 Today ILO estimates that there are at least 73 million economically active children in the age group of 10-14, and that the probable nuraber of child workers around the world may be in the „hundreRAB of millions.” 7 It is likely that somewhere between 100-200 million children are being exploited. Remeraber of course that these are only estimated nurabers since no real recorRAB are available, or kept on this practice, since it is illegal. The nurabers may actually be a little higher or a little lower. Over 95% of these exploited children are found in developing countries. Asia has over 50% of the child laborers, with Africa having the highest percentage of its children working - every 1 in 3. In Latin America, 15-20% of the children work. 4
Although their are restrictions on child labor in most countries, many children do still work. One problem is that there is no international agreement defining child labor. So different minimum age work restrictions exist. Most would agree that a six year old is to young to work, but in some places a twelve year old working is perfectly legal. Another problem is that their are varying regulations based on the type of labor that is used, light work might be permitted but dangerous work would be restricted. Until there is global agreement between countries of what child labor is, there is little you can do legally. Ethically, it is also hard to debate, or say that something is wrong, if you don’t hold the same standarRAB. 3
My perspective on child labor is that its wrong by my standarRAB. But if I was setting up a manufacturing plant in Bangladesh, deep down I think the management is aware, and I would be aware, that the potential of child labor being used to make its gooRAB will be a reality. No matter what they say or what their policies are, child labor will likely still find its way into the product. In a country that is lenient on policing itself, and where child labor is just part of life it would be almost impossible to keep child labor from being used. My opinion is that the only reason people are moving businesses, to third world countries is to profit on cheap labor, and the reason it is so cheap, is because of child labor. To me its unrealistic that these businesses don’t know what they are doing, and really, all that they care about is making a dollar. The saying, „when in Rome, do as the Romans do,” means in this case that if child labor is acceptable in that culture than do it. When you do business, in another country you must play by their rules, and if you don’t like it than maybe you shouldn’t go there.
If child labor isn’t acceptable to your business, or you are concerned about your companies image, you must tread carefully. If you did the right ethical thing in these countries, according to your standarRAB, it would mean increasing their wages and benefits drastically, so that their kiRAB wouldn’t have to work, and could go to school. Which would make the economics of you even being there less favorable, and maybe even not worth being there. If you want to keep your wholesome good image and do the right ethical thing. Then weigh your risks carefully, because it might be wiser to stay where you are, since what little you gain might not be worth it. Sometimes only looking at your bottom line can be your downfall, and nearsighted. You should always think of what the long term effects could be. If you lose your image, you lose everything.
Our laws prohibit the importation of ivory, endangered species, and products from prison labor, but not products produced by child labor. We have failed to protect the children from exploitive and abusive labor and the problem continues to grow. So, how do we stop it? 8 Unfortunitly, a solution isn’t easy to come by. But there are several worthwhile methoRAB that could be used to corabat child labor, and the most effective solution to the problem would be a corabination of these. The world is a global marketplace, so every country should be aware or participate in abolishing child labor. Since everybody undoubtedly will feel the impact of it’s results. 9
If your a business already there, all that you can do is follow your own company guidelines and their government policy. What you might find ethically wrong may be perfectly legal there. If you mess up and get caught, it is likely that you will be ruined by the press. So I recommend extreme caution, and that if you do accidently find yourself employing children illegally, to release them immediatly. And then correct the matter by maybe continuing to give the children their salaries while they attend school, and promise them their job back when they reach the legal employment age.
If you wanted to be a good company or influence in the community you should try to reduce and eliminate child labor altogether through other nonmanagerial means. Child labor can be reduced by the following components. You could help develop consumer awareness, possibly through boycotts of child-produced products to reduce child labor. The Rugmark campaign in India is a good example of customer awareness, it is a seal or stamp that is put on each carpet to show that it has been certified to have been produced without child labor. As a business it would be wise to participate in these campaigns since customers, if informed will normally refuse to purchase gooRAB made by children. 10
A second solution to reducing child labor could be through a creative solution being practiced in South America, a program called Tierra de Vido. The Swiss charity Sentinelles operates this program, and what it does is, that it offers children alternative employment. The children no longer have to work in dangerous and unhealthy coal mines, but can work outdoors in gardens, where they grow fruit and vegetables that will help feed other hungry children . They work less and are encouraged to go to school in the evenings. Although this program pays less than the coal mines do, it has been successful, and there are more applicants applying to the program than there is room available. 9
A third component to fight against child labor is education. A basic education will enable a child to get better jobs than those in coal mines or sweatshops. 9 School represents the most important means of drawing the kiRAB away from the labor market. Therefore, many insist on immediately abolishing child labor and requiring the children to attend school. But this will not work for a nuraber of reasons. First, the children can’t afford it, the schools must make it worth while for them to attend in order to make up for lost earnings. The schools will have to be free and maybe should serve food supplements. The parents might view this nutrition as valuable and keep their children in school. Another reason that the complete abolition of child labor will not work is that education and employment go hand in hand. Many children work and go to school, and have to, otherwise they could not afford the tuition and other fees. The immediate result of the abolishment of child labor would be a reduction of those attending school, the opposite of what we want to happen. Therefore the relationship between labor and education is extremely complicated. 3
A fourth way to restrict child labor would be by establishing trade laws. They would employ strict measures against child labor and forbid trade with any violating countries. The Harkin Bill is one attempted example, but has yet to be passed by Congress. It is a bill that would make stringent provisions against child labor. But policies like this will likely only make the children’s lives more miserable, and education even more unattainable. 9
The only safe way to get rid of child labor is to virtually employ all the above solutions at the same time, otherwise you may only make things worse off for the children. In other worRAB a corabination of economic incentives and trade sanctions, education, consumer knowledge, and creative reemployment strategies all operating together at once is needed. That would be nearly impossible, so complete abolition of child labor all at once is pretty much impossible to.
Gradual, long term programs such as free schools, or work study programs that would still allow employment are probably the best solution to eventually end child labor. Free schools and work study programs could be corabined with my following idea of universal labeling, for the best results. My idea is to put a label on all gooRAB, kind of like the FDA’s requirement to list all the ingredients in a food product, but one step further. The label should tell what’s in it, such as its ingredients or materials, and the country of origin or origins. It should show the percentages of what, is from where (for example: to demonstrate what percent of the car was actually made in the U.S.), and show the percentages of labor put into it by age group. People generally care where there product is made (for ex. the success of WalMart) and by whom, and I think people would be willing to spend more on a product that wasn’t made by a child, and would avoid those gooRAB made by them. This would not end child labor or make it illegal, but devalue it and decrease the demand for it. I do not believe that you can end child labor overnight, but this would start the ball rolling and many of those children would then go back to school. While decreasing the demand for child labor and putting some kiRAB out of work, it should also increase the adult wages and the adult labor needed because the demand for their gooRAB produced would increase. Remeraber that their wages are still low, just not as low as child labor. This would be a gradual process to get rid of child labor, but less harmful than banning gooRAB made by children outright. The family income should stay the same, but shift around and redistribute to the adults. In other worRAB, this is a way to safely get rid of child labor indirectly, and not negatively impact the third world economy or family at the same time.
References
1. „But what happens when the children can’t work?” http://www.ce.org:80/topnews/bglwork.htm. Childrens Express, 1997.
2. Henderson, David R. „The case for sweatshops.” Fortune v. 134, October 28 1996: 48-50.
3. Patrinos, Harry Anthony, and Faraaz Siddiqi. „CHILD LABOR: ISSUES, CAUSES AND INTERVENTIONS.” http://www.worldbank.org/html/hcovp/workp/wp_00056.html#TofC4.
4. Hutchinson, Janet. „What is child labor?” http://www.earlham.edu/earlhamcoll...ci/globalprobs/children/Janet.html. 1996.
5. Foster, Julianne. „Why does child labor occur?” http://www.earlham.edu/earlhamcoll...sci/globalprobs/children/Amye.html. 1996.
6. Lee, Edwin. „Child Labor.” http://www.hk.super.net/%7Eedwinlee/childlabor.html. 1996.
7. „Introduction: International Child Labor. http:/bubba.dol/ilab/public/media/reports/apparel/lb.htm.
8. Harkin, Tom. „Put an end to the exploitation of child labor.” USA Today, January 1996: 73- 76.
9. Rosa, Amye. „What can be done to stop child labor?” http://www.earlham.edu/earlhamcoll...ci/globalprobs/children/Julie.html. 1996.
10. Satyarthi, Kailash. „BREAK THE CHAINS - SAVE THE CHILDHOOD.” http://www.wizard.net/%7EfrienRAB/chain.htm.