Children are often compared to flowers delicate, pure, and full of life. Just as flowers need care to bloom, children too require love, protection, and nurturing to grow. But in many developing and underdeveloped countries, are children truly raised with such care? Or are they being used like robots to fuel the wheels of survival and industry?
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), around 138 million children across the world are engaged in child labour. Shockingly, 87 million of them are in Africa, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the global total. And this isn’t just light work the ILO reports that nearly 54 million children are involved in hazardous labour, putting their safety and development at serious risk. Data show that 62% of these children work in agriculture, 27% in domestic or service sectors, and 13% in industrial jobs, including construction, manufacturing, and mining, some of the most dangerous fields of work. The majority of these cases are found in the developing regions of Asia and Africa.
But what drives such a grim reality? Why does child labour persist where it is a punishable offense by law? What roles do families and society play in this cycle?
The root cause of child labour is extreme poverty. Notice that child labour rates are negligible in developed nations but rampant in developing ones countries where per capita income is low, job security is scarce, and daily survival is the primary goal. When parents’ earnings fall short of meeting basic needs, they are often forced to send their children to work alongside them, not out of choice but necessity.
Lack of education and social awareness also contribute heavily. In many underdeveloped countries, where literacy rates are low, people often fail to see child labour as exploitation. Instead, they view it as a normal part of life. When injustice becomes normalized, it continues unchecked and generation after generation of children remain trapped in the same cycle.
Moreover, many poor families consider education an unaffordable luxury. Even if governments provide free textbooks, additional costs such as uniforms, transportation, and supplies can make schooling financially impossible. For others, education simply doesn’t seem as valuable as immediate income. Thus, child labour becomes an inherited condition, passed down from one generation to the next.
Environmental and climate factors also play a significant role. Developing countries are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, floods, cyclones, and droughts which often destroy homes and livelihoods. Families left destitute by such disasters often have no choice but to send their children to work to help them survive.
To eradicate child labour, government intervention is essential. Authorities must support impoverished families financially so that children are not forced into work. Reducing educational expenses, creating stable employment opportunities, and providing short-term relief to disaster-affected families can all help reduce the prevalence of child labour.
Children are not tools of labour they are the future architects of a nation. Allowing them to toil in dangerous and degrading conditions not only destroys their future but also hinders a country’s progress. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that every child is given the right to education, safety, and a childhood free from exploitation.
The time has come to act to end child labour and secure a brighter, more humane future for the generations to come.
