How to Stop Child Labor?
HOW TO STOP CHILD LABOR?
How to Stop Child Labor
When thinking of child labor, it is easy to imagine the Oliver Twists and Eponines of the Industrial Revolution and think of them as things of the past. The soot-covered orphans of England may be in the past for the most part, but children all over the world are still forced into harsh and unfortunate working conditions that need our attention.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals stated in 2018 that it aims to end child labor by the year 2025. That is an honorable goal, but 2025 is here and unfortunately, according to the International Labour Organization, there are still around 150 million children worldwide in child labor. While the number still decreased since the original goal was set, the COVID-19 Pandemic caused a spike that has been difficult to bring back down in order to get it to 0 by this year.
How can we save our children from this cruel fate? How can we end child labor now?
Why Does Child Labor Still Exist?
There are many reasons why child labor exists, mainly rampant poverty, neglect, and abuse from those in power. A major reason is that most children in those situations have no other alternative and can only support themselves and their families through child labor.
The lack of encouragement or support for children is another reason why they are stuck in these inescapable labor positions. Because of the seeming hopelessness of this situation, the task of taking on child labor is incredibly daunting, but there are ways to make a difference for these children, and we who are in a position to help owe it to the children who are the future of our world and our society.
If we can help end child labor, then we can make sure that the world’s children can have a childhood and are given the opportunities for education, play, creativity, and self-empowerment. I think we can all agree that every child deserves that.
The Plan to End Child Labor Now
As a part of their mission to end child labor by 2025, the UN laid out their plan for a policy with “Social Dialogue as a Foundational Element” with four segments feeding into that:
- Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education for all
- Social Protection Systems
- Decent Work for Adults and Youth of Legal Working Age
- Legal Standards and Regulation
The common thread I see through these is the main way we are going to end child labor now is to see and speak to the humanity of all people, especially children. These actions all focus on protecting the person which is incredibly important. The minute we stop seeing other people as human beings just like us, the potential for problems grows out of control.
I fully agree with social dialogue being the key to solving the problem since the reason we have this problem in the first place is because those with power are not seeing the humanity in the children (and adults) who are forced into these labor situations.
These topics are huge to tackle, but NARA Education is devoted to focusing on the first, and arguably most important, aspect of the plan which is Quality Education for All.
Education to End Child Labor
NARA Education recognizes the individual spirit, spark, and enthusiasm in every child, and aims to provide each child with the resources to nurture that spirit and curiosity to expand their minds. The modern concept of childhood came about so that all children can have the time to develop their creativity and dreams, even those in rural areas, poverty, and child labor.
This can hopefully make way to lifting them out of unfair labor situations and give them room to pursue their passions and play through education and critical thinking (How Does Education Affect Poverty).
The problem is, as the UN has pointed out, that the access to a quality education in underdeveloped areas is few and far between, which is why providing a quality education to end child labor is the number one way we will stop it.
The approach that NARA Education takes is one of play, independence, and nurturing interest in topics that can make way for a passion for learning and problem solving. This is done through the grade level appropriate curriculums on the tablets we developed that encourage learning, but mainly through the disguise of fun and puzzles, encouraging play while building a solid foundation.
It is through these lessons where a child can discover their interests, likes, and dislikes, and build up a set of social skills that they can take over to the workplace once they are of an appropriate age to work (the third aspect of the plan set out by the UN to end child labor). They will become healthier and better workers later on when given the opportunity to learn and grow as a child, rather than the other way around.
NARA Education recognizes the individual spirit, spark, and enthusiasm in every child, and aims to provide each child with the resources to nurture that spirit and curiosity to expand their minds. The modern concept of childhood came about so that all children can have the time to develop their creativity and dreams, even those in rural areas, poverty, and child labor.
This can hopefully make way to lifting them out of unfair labor situations and give them room to pursue their passions and play through education and critical thinking (How Does Education Affect Poverty).
The problem is, as the UN has pointed out, that the access to a quality education in underdeveloped areas is few and far between, which is why providing a quality education to end child labor is the number one way we will stop it.
The approach that NARA Education takes is one of play, independence, and nurturing interest in topics that can make way for a passion for learning and problem solving. This is done through the grade level appropriate curriculums on the tablets we developed that encourage learning, but mainly through the disguise of fun and puzzles, encouraging play while building a solid foundation.
It is through these lessons where a child can discover their interests, likes, and dislikes, and build up a set of social skills that they can take over to the workplace once they are of an appropriate age to work (the third aspect of the plan set out by the UN to end child labor). They will become healthier and better workers later on when given the opportunity to learn and grow as a child, rather than the other way around.
NARA Education’s Mission
NARA Education is committed to the education of children in rural communities through technology, learning, play, and building a thriving and curious personality in a child.
In keeping with the UN’s underlying goal of Social Dialogue, we want to contribute as much as we can to distributing a quality education to all children because that is the true way to respect and recognize the humanity in all people.
It is only through seeing each other as humans can we not just help end child labor, but end all other injustices.
Even though the UN has not stopped child labor on the timeline it set out, it does not mean it is time to give up. In fact, NARA Education is even more committed to providing education to children in the easiest, best, and dare we say fun, ways possible. Keeping education fun and exhilarating is the only way to get children excited to make changes in their lives and communities, which will help end child labor and lift their communities out of poverty.
Help our mission now! Donate to NARA Education and you can help implement technology to end child labor.
