Child LaborChild labor refers to the economically active population under the age of fifteen, employed in various industries (Grootaert, 2). Recently, child labor has become a huge topic of debate; however, in most cases it is very unfavorable. The perception that globalization leads to the exploitation of children is becoming a significant problem for international trade. In my opinion, child labor must be eradicated. Not only is this harmful to children's health, but it takes away their opportunity to access education and simply takes away their childhood. The International Labor Organization estimates that 250 million children worldwide, aged five to fourteen, work. Of these 250 million, 120 million work full time (ILO, 5). Child labor is common in sectors such as agriculture, domestic services, carpets and textiles, quarrying and brick-making, as well as in prostitution. Some children work in factories and other “formal economy” workplaces; however, many work on farms or at home. Child labor has many dangerous effects on children's health. Some children work in fields such as stone quarries, leather tanning and metal electroplating. All these working conditions endanger the health of the child. Children in different professions face different deadly diseases. One such disease is silicosis, caused by work in stone, brick, granite and slate cutting factories. Tuberculosis is also another disease favored by children working in pottery-related industries. Another very serious problem, due to poor living conditions, is malnutrition. Lack of education for working children is also another very serious problem. Working children work most of the day, and in some cases 16 hours a day. There is no doubt that education is a major factor in the overall development of a child. Yet, due to long working hours, children are deprived of time for education. Some children are more or less slaves, controlled by their employer to work all the time. In other cases, parents are even responsible for child labor, as they prioritize work and money over education. Some children must earn the income of the entire household (Grootaert, 3). Asi...... middle of paper ......). However, developing countries, including Brazil and India, which have very high rates of child labor, have rejected the proposal. But the rate of child labor continues to decline. In 1996, Brazil had 3.3 million working children. Shortly after, international pressure forced President Fernando Henrique Cardoso to launch an initiative against child labor. This program essentially paid parents to send their children to school. By 2000, the number of child laborers had fallen to 2.5 million. Today, child labor continues to decline, but it seems almost impossible to eradicate. Child labor is ethically wrong and immoral; and yet there are still companies that choose to look the other way. Works Cited: Bachman, SL “The political economy of child labor and its impacts on international trade.” Business Economics July 2000: 1-4. Buckley, Stephen. “The Littlest Workers: Why Does Child Labor Continue to Thrive in Developing Countries?” » Washington Post March 16, 2000: 1-5.Grootaert, 2001.. >