Child Labor: Seafood
Major Problem in Ghana
1 in 6 children aged 6 to 14 are involved in child labor. 2.3% of them work in fishing.
NGOs estimate that 4,000 to 10,000 children are trafficked and enslaved on Lake Volta at any given time.
Fishing in the Philippines
In the Philippines, fishing is a very important part of the economy. Poverty is very high, so child labor in the fishing industry is very common. Many children work eight to ten hours a day, fishing for little pay. Some children dive to chase fish into nets, while others take part in six to ten month deep sea fishing expeditions. On these trips, the children have to dive as deep as fifteen meters without protective gear. These kids are at risk of shark bites, ear damage, and injuries from falls.
Deprived Children
Often times children involved in fishing industry work long hours for no pay, do not attend school, and are often malnourished. They are overworked, and underfed.
Child Labor In The Fisheries In Ghana (Slaves Of The Lake)
Dangerous work for children
Children are called reef hunters because the perception is that their small bodies are better for diving deeper. The number one cause of death for reef hunters is getting attacked by sharks. Other forms of death include snake bites, drowning, and injuries from falls. 9 out of 10 children that work in fisheries are boys, which shows an obvious male dominance in the child labor field. Fishing at sea is the most dangerous occupation in the world, according to ILO, and when children attempt to do this occupation it becomes even more dangerous.
Bangkok, Thailand
33% of the workers in Thailand's finishing industry are under the age of 18. In one severe case, a 12 year old boy had to work 20 hours a day for a week.
Comparing and contrasting child labor then vs. now
Child labor today and back then was very different. First of all, it is much safer today then it was back in the Victorian age. Today there are at least some safety regulations that must be followed. Back in the day there was not a single regulation that protected the children in any way. Child labor back then and child labor are also similar though because of the very low pay and restriction from going to school. Some of the children in Ghana get sold as slaves to fish on Lake Volta and don't get paid at all. In Ghana, fishing on Lake Volta is the main form of child labor. One of the most obvious similarities is how the children live. Back then and today children have to sleep in crammed, unsanitary apartments. There are similarities and differences within both of these time periods, which can be understood due to the information expressed above.