Child labor in china - Essay Example

CHILD LABOR IN CHINA Child labor has become a crucial part of the workforce in China. Some proportion of this workforce is forced to work by their parents or guardians. These up-bringers use their children as a tool of making money regardless of the dangers that children face during this uphill struggle of working hard in such a tender age. Some proportion of this workforce comes from the urban areas. The amount of labor contributed by this group is small and controllable, if the concerned authorities take a notice this faction of children can be stopped from doing labor. Strict rules and enforcement of fines and prison terms against the people who are forcing the children to work would be really helpful in order to help the suffering children. On the other hand, a large portion of child labor belongs to the illiterate, poor and jobless rural population, who do not have any hope to make their living better. This group of population does not have any other choice than letting their children work. They do not get enough resources to fulfill the requirements of education and basic necessities; hence their last resort to avoid poverty and lead a good life is to make their children do labor. Lack of employment and education facilities has made the children more prone to the problem of labor. The problem of child labor in China has risen to such alarming levels that the government agencies are now enforcing laws to prevent child labor from happening. However as the problem of child labor has increased immensely so it has become difficult for the organizations to handle it. This paper would further examine the problem of child labor in China from all perspectives; it would also discuss the effects of child labor in the society and the steps taken by the government to curb the issue; the problems that convince the parents to allow their children work regardless of the government laws and regulations and the harm the child labor creates for the country. The problem of child labor in China started before the opium war (1840-1842). China was an agricultural country and all members of the family had to work for their living. Typical agricultural families involved boys in the fields for light work to help their parents. Girls were responsible for the household tasks. During that period some girls called 'tong yang xi', which means 'child wife', were sold to rich families and these young girls are supposed to be the future wife of one of the male individuals in the family (Schmitz, Traver & Larson, 2004) (p 43). This problem was further developed in the latter years affecting the individuals, families and the society as a whole. The increasing trend of child labor is damaging almost every state. China is one of the states which are suffering from the problem of child labor. The root cause of this problem has been identified as poverty and illiteracy (China Labor Bulletin). Approximately 30% of the total population in underdeveloped states does not have adequate earnings to purchase even a day's food. This inadequacy of necessities and inability to find employment compels parents to live on their children's earnings. Parents of such children are mostly illiterate. Hence they do not get a chance to get a better job. Although some parents work hard to prevent their children from doing labor, but as these parents are not able to earn a good income they cannot support their large family. Therefore the parents are forced to make their children work so that the family can be supported. Even if the parents want their children to study, they cannot make them because of their financial disability does not allow them to do so. Chinese Government today is working to improve the conditions of education for all children in China. Furthermore to achieve these goals new schools are being set up which provide the children with quality education. Just constructing the buildings is not enough to eradicate the problem of child labor but rather spending the money used on these buildings on other purposes could prove to be helpful to improve the conditions in the state. More and more job opportunities must be offered to the unemployed population. This would help people to earn a living by themselves and the parents would not be compelled to make their children work. Education can be considered as a broad subject, which not only helps one to build his career but also help one to differentiate between the good and the bad. In China, children are forced to work and this deprives them of proper education facilities. If a child is forced to do labor he may not have the opportunity to study. Child labor reduces the opportunities for children to get higher or proper education (Bourguignon, F., 2006). This inability is not only harmful for the future of children but is also destructive for the country. Children are said to be the future of the country and education is the key to success for individuals and also for the country. Child labor is also making way for more and more accidents with terrible results for children. These accidents that children face during work create a negative impact on their physical and mental wellbeing (Smyth, A.S.H., 2007). These accidents are also accountable for the loss millions of lives every year all around the world. Child labor exposes children to many mental diseases because of which they cannot properly absorb things. This leads them to further complications when they are studying. The government of China should introduce reforms for these children so that they can properly study and make their career through studies. The International Labor Organization described in convention number 138 that no child less than the age of 15 years is liable to work. In December 1998, it was approved by the National People's Congress and it was also re-stated that 16 years is the minimum age to get legal permission of employment within the territory of China. In addition, people employed between the ages of 16 to 18 are said to be juvenile workers (Child Labor Bulletin). For the purpose of safety, juvenile workers are not permitted to work in harmful areas like in mines or other heavy industrial works. In addition, the government's policy 'Regulations Prohibiting the Use of Child Labor' was modified in October 2002. This modified version consisted of an article (i.e. Article 2) which contained laws against the employers who hire child labor (Child Labor Bulletin). The article concluded that no employer or firm is legally permitted to hire a legal minor. It also subjects the employers to authenticate that the applicant is legally acceptable to work while recruiting. In order to avoid forced employment by the employers, the Regulations Prohibiting the Use of Child Labor arranged firm rules against the employers and penalties are also charged by 5,000 per Yuan per child (IHLO, 2007). However, the criminal laws for forced labor are not strict by any means. According to the revised criminal law (stated in Article 244) only those "who force" minor to engage in excessive labor" are liable to be imprisoned. CLB argues to amend this law and recommends implementing a law which is against all kind of forced labor not just 'excessive forced labor' (Child Labor Bulletin). The laws presently implemented in China are not strict enough to force these wrong doers from committing the crime. Even now a large amount of employers are avoiding the laws and hiring children to work for them. Child labor Many examples of harmful child labor can be seen if the topic is researched. A report provided by Human Rights in China in March of 2005, in a textile factory dormitory, five girls were poisoned by charcoal fumes at the end of the 2004. Because the factory owner does not want to take responsibility of this event, he put the girls' bodies into coffins to burn without checking that they are dead or alive. As a result of this inhuman behavior, two girls were buried alive (HRIC, 2005). Again, a journalist, who was the eye witness of the adverse working conditions experienced by the children working in a small workshop, reported that the children were to work more than standard labor time i.e. they used to work from morning till night. Their labor time depended upon the amount of work and wasn't fixed. The children faced difficulties due to inadequate facilities and unlimited working time. To get rid of headache caused due to tiredness and pain in the calluses due to continuous use of needle for hours, many children used to take painkillers which were the only medical treatment available for them (NA., 2007). Due to lack of knowledge and confidence none of the child laborers dare complain about these issues. In order to stop such cruel activities, parents must be provided with proper guidance to help their children and children must be told about their rights. These inhuman activities are continuously damaging the reputation of China around the globe. The issue of juvenile labor in China is excessively complex to be summed up in black and white terms. To report these problems, further and deeper studies into the origin reasons of the trouble are recommended. These causes are observed to be a rising economic inequality in China, a fast changing social formation, and a breakdown of the Chinese educational system to give sufficient and reasonable education to all children (NA., 2005). It is probable that if these will not be handled properly, the rate of death and injury accidents would rise in China with the same speed and will end up in a devastating loss of innocent child laborers (NA., 2005). The Government of China is trying to stop child labor and implement strict laws and rules for the welfare of children. One child policy, Relocation Policy and Economic policy are some of the major steps taken by the Chinese Government in order to de-motivate child labor and to secure the children's rights in the country (Hardy, F.W., 2007). Proper guidance to the parents has become indispensable for the future of Chinese youth. More emphasis on education is required along with proper financial and moral support to the poor families. Moreover, the compulsory education law sets an objective to provide free basic education facility to all children. The statement of this law needs more clarification as 'free education' was taken as 'no tuition fee' policy and there was no rule mentioned in the law for or against 'other fees' which include books charges, uniform cost, equipment use fee etc. These 'miscellaneous fees' were above the affordable level of poor people hence most of the children had to compromise on their studies. However, the law is revised now but there is a need to revise the laws and enforcement of the revised laws in the country (Jing, Z. & Hu, W., 2007). Child Labor is increasingly becoming a global problem and it should be addressed properly through out the world. China is suffering most at the hands of this problem and the government of China in the recent years has been passing laws to decrease this problem. The employers are discouraged from hiring children in their firms and if they do so they are charged for it. Recently, the government of China has set out more strict laws which discourage people from making the children work. Presently the government is implementing educational reforms in China so that the children get proper education and are able to build their career through education. However the issue of child labor in china has increased to alarming levels and it would take time for the government to properly sought out reforms and eradicate the problem. References: China Labor Bulletin. As China's Economy Grows, So does China's Child Labour Problem. Retrieved on 5 August, 2008 from http://www.china-labour.org.hk/en/node/15889 China Labor Bulletin. Small Hands: A Survey Report on Child Labour in China. Retrieved on 11 August, 2008 from http://www.usc.cuhk.edu.hk/webmanager/wkfiles/6471_1_paper.pdf Bourguignon, F. (2006, October 17). Interview with Emmanuel Jimenez and Franois Bourguignon on World Development Report 2007. Message posted to http://discuss.worldbank.org/content/interview/detail/4084/ Hardy, F.W. (2007). Child Labor in China. Retrieved on 5 August, 2008 from http://child-labour.suite101.com/article.cfm/child_labor_in_china HRIC. (2005). Cover-up of Child Labor Deaths in Hebei. Retrieved on 14 August, 2008 from http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/pressrevision%5fid=20716&item%5fid=20715 IHLO. (2007). Child labour, forced labour and "work experience" in China - the blurred lines of illegality. Retrieved on 9 August, 2008 from http://www.playfair2008.org/docs/Child_labour_July_2007.pdf Jing, Z. & Hu, W. (2007). China Country Case Study. Retrieved on 12 August, 2008 from http://64.233.183.104/searchq=cache:55EdAX7sHRAJ:unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001555/155595e.pdf+free+compulsory+education+to+all+criticism+china+miscellaneous+fees&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=10&gl=pk Smyth, A.S.H. (2007). We can all condemn child labour, but - ask A S H Smyth - can we offer alternatives to the world's poorest families A S H Smyth remains unconvinced: Before Their Time: The World of Child Labor - David L. Parker. Retrieved on 9 August, 2008 from http://www.socialaffairsunit.org.uk/blog/archives/001613.php International Labour Organisation. Worst Forms of Child Labour Data China, Taiwan. Global March Against Child Labour, . Schmitz, Cathryne L., Elizabeth KimJin Traver, and Desi Larson. Child Labor: A Global View. A world view of social issues. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 2004. Read More