The Economic Effect of Child Labor in Developing Countries

Nowadays, child labour is one of the most important problems in some countries and this problem tends to spread around the word day by day. Some researches indicate there are approximately 246 million children around the world whose ages are between 5 and 17 have to work in job. In addition, nearly 70% or 171 million children are likely to work in harmful conditions. Working in mines with chemicals or pesticides in agriculture are only two examples for hazardous works for children (UNICEF, 2006, p.37). Children workers main purpose is providing money or food for their family, because their families are mostly live in low economical conditions. Although they help their family to survive their life, there are some results of children labour. Poor health, lack of education and exploitation are three main results of child labour.

Firstly, poor health is one of the significant results of child labour, because infant workers mostly work in damaging conditions. Some companies cannot find employers for their dangerous works, so they mostly choose children who live in poverty as worker. The reason why they choose children is, employers know their hard life conditions and they want to benefit from their poorness. To illustrate, in the Philippines families survive by working in vegetable farming. However, mostly children are chosen to works which have very bad conditions. Skin irritation and fatigue, and pain from sitting for long hours are result of farming, because children are usually forced to work in peeling, cutting, grading of agricultural products (ILO, 2002, p.23). Due to have some health problems in young ages children cannot work efficiently in the rest of their life. Another example for damaging working area, which...

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... drugs (UNICEF, 2006, p.40). It can be very dangerous because, in the future these children may want to continue sell drugs or to be a figure in mafias.

In conclusion, the most common three problems about child labour are health problems, lack of education and exploitation. Although infant worker should play games with their friends, go to school or have entertainment, they generally have to work in a job. In addition, some of them have psychological problems in their adult ages due to work long hours and cannot have time for entertainment. Poverty is the main reason for child labour. Governments ought to help these children for example; governments provide them legal and appropriate works and give them education while they are working. Additionally, if public help these poor families or their children in education; probably this problem could be solved.