In the 21st century, 160 million boys and girls are working, almost half of them in jobs that put their lives or health at risk, and compromise their physical, emotional and educational development.
To effectively address this problem, it is crucial to recognize the close relationship between child labor and lack of access to education. Education must be a part of the solution to this problem and plays an essential role in eradicating child labor. We explain why:
Knowledge and empowerment
Education provides children with the necessary knowledge and awareness so they are empowered to understand their rights and can recognize situations of labor exploitation. Children attending school know how to identify when they are being deprived of their rights and when to seek help.
Skill development
Education provides children with skills necessary for their future, expanding their employment opportunities and reducing dependence on precarious jobs from an early age. Skill development contributes to creating a solid foundation for their future working life.
Breaking the cycle of poverty
When a child goes to school, they acquire knowledge and skills that will open the doors to a world of opportunity, in addition to developing critical thinking, creativity and social skills, essential to have a full life. Economic opportunity is vital in giving people to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.
Promotion of ethics and values
Through education, not only is academic knowledge acquired, but values and ethics are learned. Quality education promotes a deeper understanding of the importance of human dignity and respect, which contributes to creating more just and equitable societies.
An incentive for families
Education can also be used an incentive for families to give up child labor. When presented with the opportunity to send their children to school, families may see a brighter future and choose to keep their children away from hazardous work.
Improved laws and compliance
Education contributes to the strengthening of legislation and improving compliance with those laws. Educated individuals are more likely to advocate for their rights and push for legislative changes that protect children from child labor.
Just and equitable societies
Young people who receive a quality education are more likely to become active citizens, make informed decisions, and contribute to the economic growth and development of their communities, and, therefore, of their countries.
Reality shows us that millions of children should be in school, but cannot attend because their families are struggling with poverty. Often, they are the only members of the household with the capacity to work and earn an income.
While different realities exist in different places around the world, there is always a single victim: childhood. Because when a boy or girl is robbed of the opportunity to go to school, their childhood ends and their adult life is condemned to poverty.
The International Labor Organization recommends that we pay particular attention to the availability of education during an emergency. In the context of a humanitarian crisis, conflict or natural disaster, child labor skyrockets
Therefore, the education of the youngest children must be taken into account in all phases of humanitarian action – from crisis preparedness plans and contingency plans to humanitarian responses to post-crisis reconstruction and recovery efforts.
Getting children back into the classroom
Educo has been working for many years to respond to the needs of children and their families. Because we know education is the cure for child labor.
In Bangladesh, many children between the ages of 5 and 7 work in dried fish processing plants in Cox’s Bazar, leaving school behind. Raising awareness among families is essential in ensuring children can return to school. Awareness campaigns are also conducted at the community level.
With this project, the lives of children are changing for the better. Zannatul says: “Before, my life was very sad. My family had no savings, we lived from day to day since there were seven of us and my parents earn very little money. So we all had to work, even my older sister was forced to marry very young and I was forced to work in the dried fish warehouse with my mother.”
She adds: “I cried a lot when the dried fish bones stuck in my hands, but I worked hard to support my family.”
But with the support of Educo, Zannatul has been able to resume her studies and return to the classroom: “Before, I used to go to school, but not regularly. After enrolling in this new school I have been stopping working little by little. Thanks to the meetings with my parents, they now know how harmful it can be to work in the dried fish processing sector.”
Now Zannatul never misses school. She is very happy with her teachers and says every day she learns new things. Her teachers say that she has enormous talent and a lot of enthusiasm, and recently she won the prize in the drawing contest for Children’s Rights Week 2023.
At the awards ceremony, Zannatul spoke to local government officials about the issues facing children, and they responded positively. Her parents are also happy to see the change in Zannatul’s life.
Today she is also one of the most active students in the Student Council of her school: “I want to go to school every day. In addition to studying, I enjoy fighting for the rights of the boys and girls at my school.”