Do you know these? (http://www.ilo.org/global/Themes/Child_Labour/lang--en/index.htm)
According International Labour Organization, ILO, 2006, there were 218 million working children of age 5 to 17 years old.
Among them, 74 million were working in hazardous environments like mines, chemical plants etc.
Another 8.4 million were slaves, child prostitutes, child soldiers etc.
To put the figures into perspective, 74 million (74,000,000) is equivalent to 1/20th of the world children population in that age group. That means, 1 in every 20 of the children were forced to labour in hazardous environment.
They are the defenseless group of human being who are suffering in silent, while constantly subjected to physical and sexual abuses. They are forced to work long hours with no pay, and no hope.
Want more figures? In South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh) there are about 2.2 million children working in the carpet making industry. In Cote d’Ivoire (Yes, that’s where the great Chelsea striker Didier Drogba comes from), about 100,000 child labour work on the cocoa plantations.
So, what have the adults done about all these annoying figures?
Among them, 74 million were working in hazardous environments like mines, chemical plants etc.
Another 8.4 million were slaves, child prostitutes, child soldiers etc.
To put the figures into perspective, 74 million (74,000,000) is equivalent to 1/20th of the world children population in that age group. That means, 1 in every 20 of the children were forced to labour in hazardous environment.
They are the defenseless group of human being who are suffering in silent, while constantly subjected to physical and sexual abuses. They are forced to work long hours with no pay, and no hope.
Want more figures? In South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh) there are about 2.2 million children working in the carpet making industry. In Cote d’Ivoire (Yes, that’s where the great Chelsea striker Didier Drogba comes from), about 100,000 child labour work on the cocoa plantations.
So, what have the adults done about all these annoying figures?
Surely those righteous adults who yell and scream every week about love and moral must be doing something, right?
Surely those caring leaders who always say “children are our future” and never forget to remind us “to do it for our children”, must be doing something, right?
Sadly, very little has been done and the figures are in fact growing. I guess, what u don't see or know won't hurt you. out of sight is out of mind, as long as MY children are still OUR future.
Honestly, I have no answer to this darkest side of human suffering. However, there are some hopes, but I m not entirely sure how true are the claims.
FAIR TRADE claims to guarantee that products, such as chocolate and coffee, are“slave free” and have not been made using forced labour.
Honestly, I have no answer to this darkest side of human suffering. However, there are some hopes, but I m not entirely sure how true are the claims.
FAIR TRADE claims to guarantee that products, such as chocolate and coffee, are“slave free” and have not been made using forced labour. 
RUGMARK also claims that no illegal child labour has been used to make the carpet or rug that bears the stamp.
In the name of global economy and free trade, how much of the world wealth and economy growth is built on the sweat and blood of those skinny bodies digging in the coal mines? To put in cynically, "Its bad for business and economy growth to do away with such cheap labour"
I m not trying to feast on your guilt here, but the next time you reward your children with a delicious piece of chocolate, give a thought for the thin, scarred hands that picked the cocoa beans.
I m not trying to feast on your guilt here, but the next time you reward your children with a delicious piece of chocolate, give a thought for the thin, scarred hands that picked the cocoa beans.
No comments:
Post a Comment