Child Labour
The global phenomena of child labour has been in practice for past many centuries. However, in modern era of economic prosperity, the problematic affairs of child labour has caused millions of children to suffer at the hands of greedy, self-centered, and sadistic mobs of people. The corporate leaders are the chief perpetrators in committing appalling crimes under the shade of child labour. The motive is only to seek substantial financial gains even at the cost of innocent lives of young children. According to HCO, child labour is a problem in developing countries in Africa, and Asia which comprises 90 percent of total child employment. (HCO, 2012). It is apparent from the above statistics that developing countries are using children as labouring tools to maximize their profiting schemes. These children come from impoverished backgrounds, and they do not have sufficient resources to access education, skilled training, or any kind of enlightening platform on which they can build their future. Moreover, the concept of “global sweatshops” needs to introduction, as it is most inhumane practice to exploit child labourers in pursuit of capitalization of wealth by leading garment, and clothing corporations.
As stated in a research article, consumers want to know the toiling conditions in which products are being manufactured, and how much pain and suffering children have to endure for their survival. (Canadian Labour Congress, 2012). Also, Canadian labour congress is working with national charity organizations to introduce fair trade regulations in order to prevent the continuous abuse of children. According to news article, police in India have taken immediate actions in response to the intensifying problem of child labour by raiding various sweatshops in suburbs of Indian capital. Consequently, police was able to free 14 children, who were kept in rooms of six feet by six and had been forced to work up to 19 hours a day. (Hamilton, 2012). According to UNICEF’s report, around 250 million children between the ages of 5 and 14 work either full time or part time in African, Asian, and Latin American countries. But what is even more repulsive and sickening to come across statistics of more than 60 million children are between the age of 5 and 11 years. (UNICEF, 2012). The above statistics form an appalling picture of intolerable crimes committed by multi-national corporations in quest of monetary expansions. As argued by Immanuel Kant that one should always treat other persons as an end unto themselves, and never as a means only, and he further stated that persons are free and rational creatures, who hold intrinsic values, which must be respected in dignified manner. (Kant, 1991).
According to another statistic, around 71 percent of children are involved in fishing and agriculture roles, which also involves usage of unsafe machinery and dangerous chemical substances. (UNICEF, 2012). Therefore, the job roles given to children are