Innocence Lost: The Tragic Reality of Child Labor and how Heart's Calling is Making a Difference

Child labor is a global problem that affects millions of children around the world. It takes them their childhood, education, health and their dignity. It also violates their human rights and slows their development. In this blog post we will explore the causes, consequences, and solutions of child labor, and how Heart's Calling is fighting against this problem.

What is child labor?

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), child labor is "work that takes from children their childhood, potential and dignity and that is harmful to physical and mental development". Child labor can exist in many forms, such as:

• Working long hours in dangerous conditions (mines, factories, farms or construction sites);
• Being involved in illegal activities (drug trafficking, prostitution or armed conflict);
• Being forced to work as domestic servant, beggar or soldier;
• Being denied the right to education, health care and free time...

Child labor is different from child work, which is "work that does not affect their health and personal development or interfere with their schooling". Child work can be useful for children's development and well-being, such as helping their parents with household chores and doing part-time jobs that are suitable for their age.

Why does child labor happen?

Child labor is very complex and has many causes and consequences. Some of the main factors that cause child labor are:

• Poverty: Many families rely on the income of their children to survive and pay off their debts. Children work to support themselves or their siblings when their parents are absent, sick or even dead.

• Lack of education: A lot of children don't have access to quality education or drop out of school due to various reasons, such as fees, distance, discrimination or violence. Without education, children have fewer opportunities for a better future and are more likely to end up in child labor.

• Social norms: Some cultures view child labor as normal, especially for girls or certain ethnic groups. Some parents may also prefer to send their sons to school rather than their daughters, who are expected to do domestic work or get married early.

• Demand for cheap labor: Some employers use children as a source of cheap and flexible labor. Some industries, like agriculture, mining or manufacturing rely a lot on child labor to produce goods and services.

Consequences of child labor

Child labor has negative impacts on the physical, mental and social development of children. Some of the consequences of child labor are:

• Health problems: Children who work in hazardous conditions are exposed to various risks (injuries, accidents and diseases).

• Abuse and exploitation: Children who work may be exposed to violence, harassment or forced to do something by their employers, customers or traffickers. They might also be deprived of their wages, freedom or identity documents.

• Loss of childhood: Children who work may miss out on the joys and opportunities of childhood, such as playing, learning or dreaming. They also develop a sense of hopelessness, helplessness and worthlessness.

How is Heart's Calling making a difference?

Heart's Calling is a non-profit organization that aims to end child labor and promote child rights around the world. We believe that every child deserves a chance to live a life of dignity, freedom and happiness. We work with many partners and young people to achieve our vision through the following strategies:

• Awareness: We raise awareness and advocate for the prevention and elimination of child labor at local, national and international levels. We also educate and empower children on the causes and consequences of child labor and the importance of child rights.

• Protection and support: We provide protection and support to children who are at risk of or involved in child labor. We offer them safe spaces, legal aid, health care and psychosocial care.

• Education and empowerment: We provide education and empowerment to children who are out of school or in need of skills development.

• Participation: We provide participation and leadership opportunities to young people who want to make a difference in their own lives and in the world. We involve them in our decision-making processes, programs, campaigns and even writing our blogs like this one.

How can you help?

You can donate to our organization through our website. Your donation will help us fund our programs and activities that supports children around the world. You can volunteer with us in research, communication, fundraising, and many others fields of work.

If you would like to learn more about child labor and child rights visit our website or follow us on social media. You can also access our newsletters for more updates.

Thank you for reading this text! Please share it with your friends and family to spread our goals and don't forget to donate here at our website (www.hearts-calling.org).

Written by Pavle Đurakić for Hearts` Calling

Sources: https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/child-labour/publications/WCMS_894320/lang--en/index.htm "Issue paper on child labour and education exclusion among indigenous children", ILO, 2023

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Written by Pavle