This is a VERY difficult question to answer.

My immediate impression was to say child labor is bad, abominable! It should be abolished, because every child has the right for education, for freedom, for a REAL life.
When I see those poor children, some so young (not even 6 years old), working in desperately horrible, sometimes deadly conditions, my stomach turns upside down. I wish they could live differently, a better life. But when they are forced to work, they have no choice but to obey. Large families with no money, who barely can survive, have no choice but to let their children work. In many cases, they force their own children to find a job..

Then again.. what can a child of only 10 years old do with no family support, scarce food and no education? Work is their only option. I'm not saying that child labor is the only solution for those people. But if child labor was abolished, where would all those children go? Nowhere. Till now, child labor seems to be the only way for those families to gain money. What I believe is that education lessons should be given to everyone. There must be a limit of age and the conditions MUST be reinforced. Firms that hire young children have a responsibility to take good care of them, and I think this responsibility should involve safer work, better working conditions, and an opportunity to take lessons to increase their learning abilities.

Child labor is a serious issue and I hope that one day soon, those unfortunate children will be given a better life.

Learn more about this author, Aurelie Pradier.
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