Child's labour

 

Children had worked with their parents on farms for generations. This tradition continued during the Industrial Revolution as children worked with their parents in factories and mills around Britain. Children were looked after as they could be trained easily and paid a minimum wage.

 

 The Industrial Revolution resulted in the exploitation of children in many different industries. Children were often forced to work in difficult conditions for long hours. They received little pay and were harshly disciplined. There were no restrictions on the age of workers or number of hours that could be worked. Exploitation, however, prompted reform and by the mid-19th century, the government took steps to reduce child labour.

 

Child labor is considered exploitative by many international organizations. Legislations across the world prohibit child labor. These laws do not consider all work by children as child labor; exceptions include work by child artists, supervised training, certain categories of work such as those by Amish children, some forms of child work common among indigenous American children, and others.

 

Launched in 2002 by the International Labor Organization (ILO), World Day against Child Labor is intended to highlight the plight of child workers and serve as a catalyst for change. It is an opportunity for companies to examine their processes and explore what they can do to ensure that children are not being used in their supply chains.