Every year, June 12th marks World Day against Child Labor, initiated by the International Labor Organization (ILO) in 2002 to draw attention on the worldwide spread of child labor and to exert all possible efforts to eradicate such phenomenon.
What is child labor?
They are any actions that place a heavy burden on children and endanger their lives, in violation of international law and national legislation. Such actions are, either deny children of education or require them to bear the double burden of schooling and labor. Child labor, which must be eliminated, includes the following subset of works:
- The worst forms of child labor, known internationally as slavery, human trafficking and other forms of compulsory labor. In addition, to the forced recruitment of children to join armed conflict, prostitution, pornography and illicit activities.
- The work performed by a child that is under the minimum age for this particular type of work (as defined by the National Legislation and in accordance with the adopted international standards).
- International legislation and conventions concerning child labor[1]:
The Minimum Age Convention No. 138 of 1973 for the International Employment age provides that the minimum age for admission to employment shall not be under the minimum age for completing the compulsory education. The adoption by the International Labor Organization for Convention No. 182 of 1999 " Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor ", has boosted the global consensus on the need to eliminate child labor. Furthermore, the adoption of this Convention had shed the lights on the necessity of this subject without the omission of the holistic objective of the Convention No. 138, namely the actual elimination of child labor. Moreover, the concept of the worst forms of child labor contributes to priority setting and can be used as a platform for addressing the problem of child labor in general, in addition to drawing attention on the impact of work on children.
- Sustainable Development Objectives and Child Labor:
The objectives of sustainable development include renewing the global commitment to put an end to child labor; whereas objective 8.7 calls for the world community to: "take immediate and effective measures to eliminate forced labor, contemporary slavery and human trafficking to ensure the prohibition and eradication of the worst forms of child labor, including their recruitment as soldiers. Thus, terminate all forms of child labor by 2025 ".
- Child labor rates worldwide and Jordan:
UNICEF estimates that there are about 150 million child, between the ages of 5-14 years in the developing countries, about 16% of whom are engaged in child labor. The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that about 215 million child worldwide are under the age of 18, many of whom work full-time.
In sub-Saharan Africa, one of every four children aged between 5 and 17 years has is working, compared to one of every eight children in Asia and the Pacific, and one of every 10 children in Latin America.[2]
On the Jordanian level, the results of the National Survey on Child Labor in Jordan for 2016, prepared by the Strategic Studies Center of the University of Jordan, showed that 1.89% of children within the age group (5-17) are working. Whereas, the previous percentage is split to 3.24% of male children and 0.45% only of females children. The results of the survey were based on a sample of more than 20 thousand families in the Kingdom. [3]
The number of children in Jordan within the age of (5-17) at the time of the survey was about 4030384 child; 75982 of whom were working children. It is worth mentioning that the number of working children in hazardous work, according to the survey, was 44917 children. The survey found that most children work in wholesale and retail trade as well as agriculture, silviculture and fishing. Furthermore, the findings showed that most children work for more than 33 hours per week. (3)
- Jordan's efforts on combating child labor:
Jordan has recognized the importance of providing care for children; has made great achievements in the areas of economic and social development, education and health care and has been active in the field of child rights protection. However, aside of all these achievements, some children, especially who are economically and socially vulnerable, still suffering from poverty. Thus, their surrounding difficult conditions had forced them to leave school early and join the labor market. [4]
Jordan is committed to the international conventions and charters of the United Nations. Hence, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989, became an important platform for protecting children from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be dangerous, impeding his education or harmful to his health or physical, mental or spiritual development. Moreover, the Convention had obliged its member States to take legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to ensure such protection, in particular with regard to the establishment of a minimum age of employment and an appropriate system for the work hours and conditions, and to impose appropriate penalties to ensure the effectiveness and application of these provisions. (4)
Jordan has adopted the International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions in this area, notably Convention No. 138 of 1973 on the Minimum Age and Convention No. 182 of 1999 on the Worst Forms of Child Labor. (4)
Being keen for the joint Arab action, Jordan has adopted the Arab Convention No. (1) of 1966 on the levels of work In 1970, which established the domestic legislative framework for Arab countries in the field of labor. It dealt with child labor in a detailed manner and the national strategy (ILO) to eliminate this problem, which targets children working in the labor market, contrary to the provisions of the applicable Labor Law No. (8) of 1996 and the regulations, instructions and decisions issued thereunder. (4)
The Ministry of Labor, in cooperation with government departments, universities, private institutions concerned with children's affairs in Jordan and international organizations concerned with children's affairs, had also made significant efforts to limit child labor. Although children in Jordan have gained the care and attention of the government institutions and departments. Further, children in Jordan enjoy education, legal protection, health and cultural care, and the establishment of specialized care centers. However, the problem of child labor still needs to be further studied to determine its size, nature and characteristics in order to develop appropriate policies and solutions. The National Strategy for competing Child Labor is part of the activities of the Ministry of Labor to limit this problem, and the Ministry is aware of the essential role of the child and the importance of providing childcare. (4)
Given the importance of children to the future, many international and regional organizations concerned with humanitarian issues have given particular attention to the issue of child labor. Their international conventions and charters have provided an important platform for developing clear concepts in the field of child protection against the dangers and abuses associated with the work environment. In addition to providing care for those forced by living or family conditions to engage early in the labor market. (4)
