First modification:
As the world struggles to resolve its political and economic problems, millions of children work to support their homes. Religious leaders, activists and officials have spoken out against this scourge that affects 1 in 10 children over the age of 5.
“Our consumption must not continue to contribute to the exploitation of children in the poorest countries.”
In this way, the German Development Minister, the Social Democrat Svenja Schulze, called attention to herself, who urged the European Union to implement a law at the community level that would serve as a tool against child labour.
The initiative was launched in the context of the World Day against this evil, also recalling that the German parliament approved a law a year ago that guarantees, among other aspects, the fight against child exploitation. An important step that, according to Schulze, must be followed by European regulations.
Along the same lines, Fernando Morales de la Cruz, a Central American activist, carried out a protest action this Sunday in front of the German Bundestag (parliament) for what he described as “inaction” by governments and international organizations against child labor.
The protester is a Guatemalan who has promoted a campaign in the European Parliament to show “the truth” about child labour.
Morales de la Cruz argues that 300 million poor children are exploited by the supply chains of Western countries, including Germany, despite the law exposed and defended by Schulze.
As explained by the native of Guatemala to the press, the campaign has the support of some 40 MEPs.
8.4 million children joined labor tasks since 2016
Data from UNICEF reveal that at least 160 million children around the world carry out hard work, such as work in the fields, mining, clandestine clothing workshops, among others, which makes it impossible for them to grow up as infants.
Close to half, at least 79 million, work under conditions of risk to their health and life, due to forced labor or even recruitment into armed groups, among other unfortunate scenarios.
But the international organization makes it clear that many escape its statistics due to the opacity of the activities they carry out.
The Covid-19 pandemic has aggravated this situation. The economic and social crisis that it left in the world had a direct impact on education, with the closure of schools, and on the separation of children from their families, as they had to migrate in search of sustenance and were left in a position of vulnerability.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund, despite the work done to keep children out of the workplace, since 2016 around 8.4 million have joined.
Child exploitation “is a scourge”
Pope Francis joined this June 12 in the condemnation of child labor: “Minors exploited for work is a dramatic reality that involves us all,” he said. “It’s a scourge,” he stressed later: “No child should be deprived of their fundamental rights and forced to work,” he concluded.
Today is the World Day Against Child Labour. Let us all work to eliminate this plague, so that no boy or girl is deprived of their fundamental rights and forced to work. #EndChildLabour
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex_es) June 12, 2022
It is not the first time that the pontiff dedicates harsh words to the work of minors. On another occasion he stressed that this evil was a violation of human dignity and a problem of civilization.
with EFE
#Child #labor #pending #eradication