Ask a child what they wish to become someday and their answer will be filled with ambition and hope. Many children are fortunate enough to be born into a society that can help provide the resources for them to achieve their dreams. But for millions of children living in developing countries who are forced into child labor, the possibility of achieving their goals remains only a dream. Though many already understand that child labor is a severe issue that is waiting to be addressed, it sometimes feels that it is completely out of our proximity. When I visited Pakistan recently, I decided to photograph some children in child labor to attach faces to this seemingly out-of-grasp issue.
Ali, one of the children in child labor, is a ten year old boy that I interviewed. He had dropped out of school at a young age to help his father’s work as a shoe cobbler so that he can help support his mother and other siblings. He told me that he wish he could attend school instead but that it is nearly impossible, given his family’s financial situation. He hopes that his work will provide enough money to send at least one of his younger siblings to school so that eventually his family will come out of poverty.
Ali is not alone because according to Alliance 8.7—an organization working for sustainable development goals—there are currently 151.6 million children aged 5 to 17 in child labor globally. In the least developed countries, that estimate is roughly 1 in 4 children. About 72.5 million of these children perform hazardous work that risks their development as well. They are also more prone to physical torture, sexual exploitation, and death threats if they try to ask for better wages.
It’s a complex issue to solve because most of these children do not have the money to attend school and their parents do not make enough to feed the entire family. Other times, these children get involved in child labor due to being refugees or orphans. However, progress has been made since there has been a decline of 94 million children in child labor since 2000. Yet the number of children currently in child labor is still too high.
To address this pertinent issue, countries need to make stricter laws that punish companies that take the supply of child labor. There needs to be stricter regulation to keep all children in school—not just those who come from upper and middle class families. Campaigns have been started by non-profit organizations to raise awareness on the issue of child labor. If the public is exposed to how child labor truly damages children, a demand for stronger reforms may soon arise.
Ali, one of the children in child labor, is a ten year old boy that I interviewed. He had dropped out of school at a young age to help his father’s work as a shoe cobbler so that he can help support his mother and other siblings. He told me that he wish he could attend school instead but that it is nearly impossible, given his family’s financial situation. He hopes that his work will provide enough money to send at least one of his younger siblings to school so that eventually his family will come out of poverty.
Ali is not alone because according to Alliance 8.7—an organization working for sustainable development goals—there are currently 151.6 million children aged 5 to 17 in child labor globally. In the least developed countries, that estimate is roughly 1 in 4 children. About 72.5 million of these children perform hazardous work that risks their development as well. They are also more prone to physical torture, sexual exploitation, and death threats if they try to ask for better wages.
It’s a complex issue to solve because most of these children do not have the money to attend school and their parents do not make enough to feed the entire family. Other times, these children get involved in child labor due to being refugees or orphans. However, progress has been made since there has been a decline of 94 million children in child labor since 2000. Yet the number of children currently in child labor is still too high.
To address this pertinent issue, countries need to make stricter laws that punish companies that take the supply of child labor. There needs to be stricter regulation to keep all children in school—not just those who come from upper and middle class families. Campaigns have been started by non-profit organizations to raise awareness on the issue of child labor. If the public is exposed to how child labor truly damages children, a demand for stronger reforms may soon arise.