Impact of Conventions on the Rights of the Child - Assignment Example

Impact of Conventions on the Rights of the Child I have conducted research on child labor, and my research topic is the effectiveness of international conventions on the rights of the child, with a special focus on child labor. The thesis of my work is Does child labor still exist in its worst form, across the world, despite the adoption of several conventions on the rights of the child? In the sequel, an evaluation of the news items from the lexis- nexis website that were helpful in achieving the objectives of this research, has been provided. UN calls on members to ratify convention on child rights In the India Blooms News of 30 September 2013, a description was provided, with respect to the direction of the UN to its members. This was with regard to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This Convention constitutes a universally agreed upon group of obligations and standards that are not subject to negotiation, which protect and support children’s rights. Moreover, its Optional Protocols pertain to first, the protection of children from child pornography, prostitution, and trafficking; second, the prohibition of recruitment of children in armed conflict; third, permitting children to complain to the UN, whenever their rights are breached. My research topic is; whether child labor is rampant in the world despite the adoption of several treaties on child rights. In this regard, these news items helped me in analyzing the importance of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and in evaluating the obligations of the member nations and the rights accorded to children. Child Labor and its Future The International Labour Organization (ILO) described child labor as work that rendered children bereft of their early days, their potential, poise, and which proved to be harmful to their mental and physical development. Child labor refers to work that is feared and abhorred by children. Moreover, child labor includes work that significantly interferes with attendance at school by children and prevents them from pursuing healthy childhood activities. This poses a major challenge to the overall development of the child, who has been recognized as the future of the nation. These children develop a warped personality, and a cynical view towards life. This portends no good for society and the nation. This news item helped me in describing child labor and its negative effects upon the development of the child. In this regard, the International Labor Organization has provided a detailed and clear description of the term child labor. Let’s End Child Labour The Minimum Age Convention 1973 of the ILO aims to safeguard children from child labor. In conjunction with other related international instruments and human rights, this convention establishes a significant legislative system established by governments. Despite these positive moves, there were 215 million children, across the world, engaged in child labor. More than 50% of such children were compelled to undertake the worst forms of such labor. Strictly speaking, these children should have been attending school regularly, and acquiring an education and skills that would have ensured reasonably remunerative employment, on their achieving adulthood. The premature entry of these children into the labor market had effectively deprived them of this great opportunity, which could have extricated them, their families and communities from the vicious cycle of poverty. This news item helped me in ascertaining the importance and implications of the Minimum Age Convention 1973. Furthermore, it helped me in assessing the contemporary actual status of child labor, across the world. India: ‘India-specific conditions stalling ILO convention’ As of the year 2010, it had been reported in the tabloid media that India had failed to ratify the ILO conventions that were principally aimed at eliminating the worst forms of child labor. The reasons stated by India, were that certain socio-economic conditions that were native to that country, had made it very difficult to enact the necessary legislation. As declared by the then Minister of State for Labour and Employment in the Lok Sabha, the ILO conventions pertaining to minimum age of 18 years for employment and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, could not be adapted into legislation, on account of pressing socio-economic issues. Child labor, to a certain extent was inevitable in the country, as children had to supplement the family income by taking up employment. When children are compelled to engage in child labor, their contribution to nation building is severely restricted, if not non-existent. This constitutes a major problem for the developing world, and the developed nations have been constantly impressing upon the former to implement meaningful measures for controlling child labor. This news item helped me in analyzing the factors behind India’s failure to ratify the ILO conventions with regard to the elimination of the worst forms of child labor. This is because, the socio- economic conditions in that nation, prevent the government from adopting those conventions. 10 million children work as domestic servants in slave-like conditions, says UN In several nations, domestic work by children is not categorized as child labor. This has been attributed to the unclear association with the family that employs children for domestic work. These children, despite living in a family and working there, are not given the treatment accorded to the members of the family. Moreover, it is difficult to come to the aid of such children, as they tend to be concealed very effectively from the public view. This insidious exploitation of children, is difficult to identify, and the employing families ruthlessly exploit these children. There is very little scope of their being provided with education or skills that could be of assistance to them, on their reaching adulthood. Thus, a significant segment of the child population is systematically deprived of every opportunity to develop and provide relief to their family and community. This news item helped me in ascertaining that child labor has been clandestinely practiced under the guise of domestic work. In addition, a systematic exploitation of children and the deprival of their future opportunities, by their employers has been disclosed in this news brief. References Read More