Working children

In developing countries, it’s all normal for children to start work at a very early age. Their parents consider this as way for them to get the skills of the job when they grow up, as it is a source of income for the family. Many parents can’t afford to send their children to school because of distance or the cost.

As compromise, working children should be given the opportunity to get basic education, at least not to remain illiterate. In poor countries, it’s hard to end child labour, as governments have no alternatives to help their parents to provide for them.

What is bad about child labour is when children are forced to do work beyond their capacity or when they are exposed to hazardous conditions. In as sense, it’s better to have working children rather than street children who resort to theft, prostitution and begging to survive.

As long as poverty exists and it is impossible to enforce laws regarding child labour, there will be in effect no age at which children shouldn’t work. There will continue to be very young girls working as maids in homes as there will be boys doing all types of jobs under the eyes of the authorities supposed to protect them.