According to The International Labour Organisation (ILO), child labour is defined as work that has performed by children under the age of 18. This can harm or restrict a child’s physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth.[1] However, The ILO has claimed that not all work performed by children should be categorised as child labour. “Children’s or adolescents’ participation in work that does not affect their health and personal development or interfere with their schooling, is generally regarded as being something positive.”[2]
In today’s world of child labour, “one in six children 5–14 years old in the world, or 158 million children, is involved in child labour. Around 1 in 3 children aged 5–14 in sub-Saharan Africa labours, compared to only 1 in 20 in the CEE/ CIS region.”[3] In order to be effective in combating child labour, there are some solutions that may assist in illuminating abuse and exploitation to child labour is that improving child labour law.[4] Although, many countries have national child labour laws that define a minimum age for work and legislate working conditions, but these laws tend to be only effective in dealing child labour abuses in the formal sector in urban areas. In personal point of view, the purposes of a rights-based approach to child labour which rely on laws seem to be ineffectively for tackling with child labour.
[1] The International Labor Organisation(ILO), ‘Child Labour’ <http://www.ilo.org/global/Themes/Child_Labour/lang--en/index.htm> accessed 2 November 2010
[2] The International Labor Organisation(ILO), ‘About child labour: Defining child labour’
< http://www.ilo.org/ipec/facts/lang--en/index.htm> accessed 2 November 2010
[3]Unicef, ‘PROGRESS FOR CHILDREN: A WORLD FIT FOR CHILDREN STATISTICAL REVIEW’ <http://www.unicef.org/progressforchildren/2007n6/index_41846.htm> accessed 2 November 2010
[4] Free The Children , ‘Child Labour ‘ <http://www.freethechildren.com/getinvolved/geteducated/childlabour.htm> accessed 2 November 2010
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