Developing World Is Not the Only Custodian of Child Labor

Abstract

The study attempts to look into the menace of the child labor around the contemporary world while also tracing its history. The study endeavors to find traces of child labor in the developing as well as developed world. The worst forms of child labor including armed conflict, trafficking, slavery, sexual exploitation, and hazardous work which absorb three-forth (3/4^th) of the total child labor force. Menace of child labor continued either under inappropriate laws or unwilling implementers. The facts reveal that children’s having ages 7-14 years is 145,000 in Italy. Approximately 1.5 million child labor force is estimated in Italy. Although, unpleasant but child labor was considered desirable, at times.  Child labor is an established fact in Europe. Reasonable extent of child labor in Europe is not documented; however, 50% of rural child labor worked under 3 hours a day with only 18% worked more than 8 hours. Child labor is fundamentally dangerous as it adversely affects the child’s productive age.

Keywords: Child labor; Developing countries; Developed world.