CHILDREN'S RIGHTS

Children's Rights

Children's Rights

Discrimination of basic rights of children is one of the worse possible crimes against humanity. Child labour is a problem all over the world, even in developed countries like Canada and the USA, but the largest concentration of child labourers in Africa. Over 80 million children between the ages of five and fifteen work there (Solomon, 2004). This accounts for 32% of all the worlds working minors. In Kenya many children work in the mining industry, about three million work in the fishing industry, and 60 percent of the workers on coffee plantations are children. Oxfam International reported that by 2015, three quarters of all children in sub-Saharan Africa will be out of school so they can work to support their families (Locander, 2005: p576). Many children are the only source of income for their family, either because they are orphans and are raising younger siblings or their parents are sick and cannot work. Sometimes if the child dose not bring home enough money they are sold as slaves and for as little as twelve dollars (Newcomb, 2004: p575). Once they are sold as slaves they are doomed to a life of free labour or prostitution; both will eventually result in an early death. Children in under-developed countries such as Kenya do not deserve this unfair treatment.

According to Solomon (2004) child labour occurs for two reasons. The first reason is a companies need for cheap labour. This helps keep product cost down, and profits up. Many well-known clothing companies like Nike and the Gap and Old Navy use sweatshops that employ children. And this shows in their prices and profits when they are compared to companies like Guess, Levi and Reebok who spend much more by have their garments made by well paid adults. There is even evidence that children have been sewing soccer balls bearing the world cup logo. The other reason is extreme poverty in almost all of sub-Saharan Africa, where a study done by the World Bank concluded that the number of people living in poverty in Africa rose by 20% between 1988 and 1993 (Newcomb, 2000). If these children did not work they and their families would starve. Children who are adopted or fostered and live below the poverty line have the highest risk of working in forced labour. These children often receive worse treatment than biological children in the same family. On special ...