Child labour is everyone’s problem, as children need to know their rights and adults need to know them as well to help children learn them. They need to actively participate in society in a positive way; however this cannot happen until their voices are being heard and taken seriously (UNCRC, 1989; Kielburger, 2008). Just because child labour may also be more prevalent in another country does not mean that it is not relevant because many things that we buy are either directly or indirectly made by children as globalization has allowed the world to expand their imports and exports beyond borders to anywhere in the world. In today’s society most of North America’s culture relies so much on material goods that we are now wrapped up in consumerism and commodity culture, as we are trying to form our identities through over consumption and are even being oversaturated in our identities (Gennaro, 2005; Storey, 2003). While we are buying items to create our own identities we are at the same time taking away the identities of the children who are affected by child labour and keeping them enslaved.
Children are used for labour as it is cheaper for the employers to keep them and manipulate them, however the unemployment rates in some of these countries is high and this can also be seen as contributing to the factors that relate to poverty (UNICEF, 2009). This is because if the jobs that children were doing were available to adults then perhaps they would be in a more stable socioeconomic position, instead children are tricked into the cheapest labour and are continued to be sought after by many employers. This same idea could eventually affect us in other countries in the way that large businesses such as department stores get products and merchandise very cheap through importing because they are made by children and their poor enslaved families. This means that everything is produced in other countries and transported to North America to large businesses. Since the corporations and businesses get the merchandise fairly cheap, they are then able to sell their products at a lower price. This can seem good but it can end up taking business away from home owned businesses in the local communities, eventually causing them to shut down, making more North Americans unemployed and then also seeking low paying jobs. This is a bad cycle that could happen anywhere in the world and should not happen anywhere which is also why it is so important to stop child labour before it continues to grow and harm or hinder the lives of more children.
Children need to participate in their rights and have meaningful actions done as a result of it. This is the most important aspect that cannot be stressed enough as when children are educated about their rights and are supported, they are then able to realize their rights to empower themselves and others. They can do this through knowing about the laws and provisions that are set in place to protect them as well as how to help stay away from harmful situations (Kielburger, 2008; UNICEF, 2009). Within the UNCRC there are also specific articles that relate to children’s active participation in society as well as relating to the care and treatment of children regardless of who they are. For example articles 12 through 17 outline rights on children having access to information, right to having privacy, the right to having their own thought and expression, as well as choosing friends . Also articles 20-29 outline provisions of receiving special care if children are unable to be in the family environment, along with health care and help from the government (UNCRC, 1989 ;UNICEF, 2009). Children all over the world need to realize their rights as well as have meaningful active participation within their community. There are many organizations that have been set up to help children know their rights as well as there are programs and lesson plans teachers can implement in the schools, there are child and youth friendly websites to navigate, and there are books on how to know your rights and to participate or advocate (Kielburger, 2008).
Child labour is a bad cycle that will just continue to happen unless we change it and children should be valuable to every society as they are replacing the current population and will be the ones in charge and making changes. This is important to the globe because if the cycle can be stopped then developing countries can start to get rid of poverty and they can progress communities so they are no longer developing and can become economically lucrative. This is important to us because as the world continues to change and become more accessible through globalization, if we continue to look away and buy things that are produced by children then the countries in power are contributing to this process of slavery and oppressing countries even more by taking advantage of them. Every child has rights and one most important is article 42 stating that you have the right to know your rights! (UNCRC,1989).
