Child Labour In Ethiopia
Extensive Labour Hurts Children Physically and Mentally
A Worldwide Issue
Child Labour has been a worldwide controversy for thousands of years. Here in America, there are laws that prohibit child labour. Unfortunately, in many other parts of the world, that is not the case. Child labour is a significant problem in current day Ethiopia, which is known to be one of the top 10 countries facing extreme poverty. As a result of the financial state of the country, there are not enough schools to meet the needs of the Ethiopian population. In turn, the children become labourers, and work under illegal conditions where they face many dangers, and earn very little pay.
How Old Are These Labourers?
What Kind of Work is Being Done by These Children?
Children most often work in very hazardous jobs, on farms or in mines. This is because of their small size which allows them to work in tight spaces. These children earn about a dollar per month.
What Are The Consequences of Child Labor?
The Main Cause
Although the financial issues in Ethiopia have a tremendous impact on the child labour controversy in the country, a cause of the child labour that is often overlooked is cultural values. The Ethiopian culture encourages children to work to develop skills and to generate income in time of poverty. As a result of this children begin to work, rather than of pursuing a life of education.
The Struggle Continues
Although Child labour is well known in Africa as a whole, the small countries within are also greatly affected, and ignored. The insignificant countries can be just as bad or worse than the well known ones that are being aided in ending child labour. Ethiopia is an example of a country that has a lot of information about illegal labour on the internet, the problem is, people are not exactly aware of it. This video focuses on Africa as a whole, but it reflects exactly what life is like in Ethiopia for child labourers, just without the help of these organizations.
Bibliography
"Ethiopia." Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor -. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2015.
"Causes and Consequences of Child Labour in Ethiopia." Causes and Consequences of Child Labour in Ethiopia. N.p., 22 Dec. 2008. Web. 22 Jan. 2015.
"Combating Child Labor in Ethiopia." Combating Child Labor in Ethiopia. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2015.