Child Labor Prevention and Treatment - Essay Example

Child Labor Prevention and Treatment Children globally undergo numerous dehumanizing experiences including violent acts, exploitation, abuse and other horrors, which a child deserves not to endure. Studies contend Millions of children are currently enduring perilous labor, exposed to commercial sex, fighting as child soldiers as well as trafficking (ILO, 2110). Others undergo prohibited cultural practices such as early marriages and female genital mutilation. If social and political statutes do not protect these children, they become vulnerable to risks and social problems such as death, diseases in addition to poor mental as well as physical development. Whenever children undergo these exploitative experiences, their employers deny them the rights to security as well as safety (ILO, 2110). UN programs supposed to protect children aim at creating an environment where they will grow up without fear and exploitations. Three aspects they strive at achieving include shunning as well as ending child labor and offering effective protection with the intention of safeguarding future generations (ILO, 2010). The UNF as well as ILO have identified varied problems affecting children where they embarked on devising legal frameworks towards eliminating these predicaments to protect children (ILO, 2010). Many states have signed treaties to support this effect whereby the UN holds them accountable in case of child labor rights violation (ILO, 2010). Conventions that ILO has applied include prohibition of children from working until they are mature to do so like at the age of 14 years such that they are capable of working in any industrial environment. In addition, Layout conception 29 of the convention demands that nobody should subject children to forced labor, trafficking as well as exposure to pornography and prostitution (Rafferty, 2013). Important elements that accompany this legal framework from the UN include national plan actions because single actions will not be effective in preventing violation of children rights. Extensive research is also necessary to first identify the state of child labor before setting up organizational and prevention polices towards the exploitation. Awareness on the cause and extent of child labor is necessary if change has will have effective implementing. In addition, awareness leads to another critical element, which is a broader social alliance (ILO, 2010). This includes combined efforts by the government, NGOs, educators, professionals, media, and politicians besides civil societ (ILO, 2010).y. These combined efforts lead to the success of prevention of child labor policies. Moreover, the government should also create grass root bodies to monitor the implementation of rules and regulation that aim towards prevention of child labor (ILO, 2010). Many policies and conventions are effective and the international and local communities have implemented them. There are currently over 20 conventions that are against child labor. The framework is present and implementation is what lacks. ILO has currently developed 1100 policies on child labor in 20 countries. The UN has signed treaties with governments and factory owners to combine efforts to prevent child labor in industries. Several children have been withdrawn from factories such as the Bangladesh garments manufacturing factory, put in school and their families given some income (Mikton, Mehra & Butchart, 2011). UNCHR has initiated a policy that prevents people from buying commodities from factories, which employ children as laborers. International solidarity movements have also worked against children rights violation. Government leaders and concerned individuals in Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America set on a solidarity movement across 56 countries to advocate for the rights of children besides creating awareness on its state (ILO, 2010). Advocacy by trade unions and labor rights groups have participated in preventing child labor through monitoring working conditions and denouncing child labor. Education has also proved to be a major tool in preventing child labor. Through integrated disciplines such as life skills training, education, income generation activities as well as participation in civic issues, children tend to obtain the necessary skills needed to succeed and make reasonable choices for their future. Through social networks, individuals are able to share knowledge, ideas and opportunities hence contribute to critical goals such as educational alternatives for child labourers. This is evident in the way regimes and international organizations have come up with scholarships and training programmes for women. Mainly, these programmes aim at enhancing life skills, business venture opportunities or even employment such that the entire society has what it takes to prosper. This way, they will able to provide for their children hence they will not need to work as labourers. Because of the income they get, they send their children to school. This is because in most cases girls tend to act as labourers so long as boys go to schools in certain cultures, policies that enhance education opportunities for the girl child have emerged (Mikton, Mehra, & Butchart, 2011). Child labour emerged after the industrial revolution and ever since, education has been a main tool of averting this vice. This is because education not only prevents child labour but also develops a skilled workforce based on social justice and human rights. Recent analysis on child labor indicates that it is widespread in specific parts of the world such as sub-Saharan Africa. Major international agencies combine efforts to use education as a means of curbing child labor. Many children tend to serve as soldiers in many countries and in most cases; they were forced to do so (Rafferty, 2013). The international organization and some Governments have implemented prevention policies of recruitment of these children. The international community has also opted for centralized and decentralized strategies of identifying the children soldiers and rehabilitating them. Other strategies that have been implemented include, ending the conflict hence, children stop fighting and opt for school (Rafferty, 2013). The methodology used for recruitment must also be effective to enable the rescuers identify both boys and girls in a group of army soldiers. Girls in this scene may serve as sex slaves or soldiers, they therefore need counselling, and treatment after the rescuers have withdrawn them. Finally, the international community provides income and education to these children. Education may be formal, informal or even include vocational training programs (Kistenbroker, 2012). Immediate action has to be implemented to withdraw children from forms of exploitation and provide them with necessary rehabilitation. Measures to withdraw children rely on interactions with parents, children, employers, as well as law enforcement authorities. Community-based initiatives that aim at satisfying the specific needs of each target group, coupled with close community participation, have proven to be the most effective solutions (Kistenbroker, 2012). According to studies by ILO, most parents and families prefer to keep their children out of the workplaces if given chance. This action however has limited impacts on general child exploitation unless it is part of a national level policy, which protects the rights, and welfare of children (Rafferty, 2013). The procedure followed in withdrawing and rehabilitating children who work as labourers entails, identifying the children who work in perilous environment under forced labour, the rescue team does this by first understanding the map of the rescue area hence are able to identify spots which may prove dangerous for children (Kistenbroker, 2012). Rescue teams then withdraw the children from such workplaces. Those involved in the rescue plan should strategically be located to identify the employers in such workplaces and prevent the children from being relocated by the employer. In addition, it is necessary to get them to schools or institutions where they will acquire skills in addition to ensuring that a labor market awaits them for employment. Part of this programme also ensures that the reformed children do not return to the same hazardous work places or to a new one of the same bad conditions (Kistenbroker, 2012). A medical team performs some examinations on the rescued children after 24 hours of the rescue process. In case of any injuries, hurt emotions or signs of sexual abuse, they are referred to higher medical authorities for further examinations. The medics conduct a detailed examination on affected children and follow up observation is carried out where necessary. For children who need counselling, teams of psychiatrists is identified. They interact with the children and guide as well as counsel them. The health department under the School Health Scheme provides medical benefits that the children need (ILO, 2010). Various departments seek to protect the children who have suffered exploitations. The municipal authorities ensure that rescued children have the opportunity of admission to schools with following the formalities of issuing certificates (Kistenbroker, 2012). The municipal authority gives these children the chance to be admitted irrespective of the time of the year. This department also ensures that the children are taken to temporary shelters, which are under the social welfare department. These children remain in the shelters until the Child Welfare Committee approves arrangements for them to be taken back to their families or adoptive parents (ILO, 2010). The police department also plays a role in protecting these children since they participate in the recue processes and they withdraw the children. The police also take custody of the rescued children and they arrest employers for participating in child exploitation. Moreover, the police handle the children well and handle them safely to their respective shelters. The Juvenile Aid Police Unit escorts the children to their homes (ILO, 2010). The nodal department makes prior arrangements for transportation of the rescued children to the temporary shelters and children homes as well as providing food and refreshments for them. Treating and preventing some situations of these children have proved difficult. Prevention as well as rehabilitation of children who are victims of trafficking across borders has become complex and difficult because different countries have different policies of handling situations (Mikton, Mehra, & Butchart, 2011). Condition with children from other countries is also difficult since efforts have to be put to ensure that children get back to their countries safely. A mechanism for handling these situations is necessary and but unfortunately there is no specific protocol that entails issues involving the prevention, rescue, and rehabilitation of children who have suffers trafficking as well as migrant child labour (Mikton, Mehra, & Butchart, 2011). During rescue operations, there are no laid out mechanism to be followed during rescue operations .Police departments, government departments as well as other stakeholders have however developed a set of guidelines to ensure rescue and rehabilitation is successful. References International Labor, O. (2010). Accelerating Action against Child Labor: Global Report under the Follow-up to the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Geneva: International Labor Office. Kistenbroker, H. V. (2012). IMPLEMENTING ARTICLE 32 OF THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD AS A DOMESTIC STATUTE: PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM ABUSIVE LABOR PRACTICES. Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law, 44(3), 921-954. Rafferty, Y. (2013). Child trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation: A review of promising prevention policies and programs. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 83(4), 559-575. Mikton, C., Mehra, R., Butchart, A., (2011). A Multidimensional model for child maltreatment prevention readiness in low- and middle-income countries. Journal of Community Psychology, 39(7), 826-843. Read More