The world hunger problem:

The world hunger problem:

•     In the Asian, African and Latin American countries, well over 500 million people are living in what the World Bank has called "absolute poverty"
•     Every year 15 million children die of hunger
•     For the price of one missile, a school full of hungry children could eat lunch every day for 5 years
•     Throughout the 1990's more than 100 million children will die from illness and starvation. Those 100 million deaths could be prevented for the price of ten Stealth bombers, or what the world spends on its military in two days!
•     The World Health Organization estimates that one-third of the world is well-fed, one-third is under-fed one-third is starving- Since you've entered this site at least 200 people have died of starvation. Over 4 million will die this year.
•     One in twelve people worldwide is malnourished, including 160 million children under the age of 5. United Nations Food and Agriculture
•     The Indian subcontinent has nearly half the world's hungry people. Africa and the rest of Asia together have approximately 40%, and the remaining hungry people are found in Latin America and other parts of the world. Hunger in Global Economy
•     Nearly one in four people, 1.3 billion - a majority of humanity - live on less than $1 per day, while the world's 358 billionaires have assets exceeding the combined annual incomes of countries with 45 percent of the world's people. UNICEF
•     3 billion people in the world today struggle to survive on US$2/day.
•     In 1994 the Urban Institute in Washington DC estimated that one out of 6 elderly people in the U.S. has an inadequate diet.
•     In the U.S. hunger and race are related. In 1991 46% of African-American children were chronically hungry, and 40% of Latino children were chronically hungry compared to 16% of white children.
•     The infant mortality rate is closely linked to inadequate nutrition among pregnant women. The U.S. ranks 23rd among industrial nations in infant mortality. African-American infants die at nearly twice the rate of white infants.
•     One out of every eight children under the age of twelve in the U.S. goes to bed hungry every night.
•     Half of all children under five years of age in South Asia and one third of those in sub-Saharan Africa are malnourished.
•     In 1997 alone, the lives of at least 300,000 young children were saved by vitamin A supplementation programmes in developing countries.
•     Malnutrition is implicated in more than half of all child deaths worldwide - a proportion unmatched by any infectious disease since the Black Death
•     About 183 million children weigh less than they should for their age
•     To satisfy the world's sanitation and food requirements would cost only US$13 billion- what the people of the United States and the European Union spend on perfume each year.
•     The assets of the world's three richest men are more than the combined GNP of all the least developed countries on the planet.
•     Every 3.6 seconds someone dies of hunger
•     It is estimated that some 800 million people in the world suffer from hunger and malnutrition, about 100 times as many as those who actually die from it each year.

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Child Labour Today:

During The Industrial Revolution First Came To Britain And The U.S., There Was A High Demand For Labor. Families Quickly Migrated From The Rural Farm Areas To The Newly Industrialized Cities To Find Work. Once They Got There, Things Did Not Look As Bright As They Did. To Survive In Even The Lowest Level Of Poverty, Families Had To Have Every Able Member Of The Family Go To Work. This Led To The High Rise In Child Labor In Factories. Children Were Not Treated Well, Overworked, And Underpaid For A Long Time Before Anyone Tried To Change Things For Them
Although Many Countries Have Laws That Forbid Child Labour Under A Certain Age, There Are Millions Of Children All Over The World Who Are Forced To Work, Especially In Asia, Africa And Latin America. Common For Children Is Factory Work, Working On Farms Or Even Prostitution . Some Work As Tourists Guides ; Others Sell Things On The Streets Or Are Beggars . According To The United Nations There Are About 200 Million Child Workers All Over The World. Among Them Are About A Hundred Million Who Work In Dangerous Jobs. Over 22,000 Children Die In Accidents At Work Every Year.
Most Children In The Third World Work In Agriculture .Children Work On Sugar Plantations , Sometimes As Young As Four. Others Work On The Streets. They Polish Shoes, Wash Cars, Carry Luggage Or Do Any Chore That Is Thinkable. The Majority Live In Slums On The Edge Of Big  Cities. Sometimes Children Are Forced To Be Prostitutes Or Have To Serve Rebel Or Army Groups In Civil Wars . In Iran, Thousands Of Children Served As Soldiers In The War Against Iraq During The 1980s.
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 Although The Internationally Recommended Minimum Age For Work Is 15 Years (Ilo Convention No. 138) And The Number Of Child Workers Under The Age Of 10 Is Far From Negligible, Almost All The Data Available On Child Labour Concerns The 10-To-14 Age Group. Combining Various Official Sources, The Ilo Estimates That More Than 73 Million Children In That Age Group Alone Were Economically Active In 1995, Representing 13.2 Per Cent Of All 10-To-14 Year Olds Around The World.
The Greatest Numbers Were Found In Asia - 44.6 Million (13 Per Cent) Followed By Africa - 23.6 Million (By Far The Highest Rate At 26.3 Per Cent) And Latin America - 5.1 Million (9.8 Per Cent).   Estimates By Country Showed The Following Rates Of Economic Activity Among Children 10-To-14:
Bangladesh (30.1 Per Cent), China ( I 1.6), India (14.4), Pakistan (17.7), Turkey (24), Cote D'lvoire (20.5), Egypt ( 11.2), Kenya (41.3), Nigeria (25.8), Senegal (31.4), Argentina (4.5), Brazil (16.1), Mexico (6.7), Italy (0.4), Portugal (1.8).
"But This Is Only Part Of The Picture," Says Assefa Bequele, Departmental Director And Child Labour Specialist At The Ilo. "No Reliable Figures On Workers Under 10 Are Available Though Their Numbers, We Know, Are Significant. The Same Is True Of Children Between 14 And 15 On Whom Few Reports Exist. If All Of These Could Be Counted And If Proper Account Were Taken Of The Domestic Work Performed Full-Time By Girls, The Total Number Of Child Workers Around The World Today Might Well Be In The Hundreds Of Millions."
Though Mostly Prevalent In The Developing Regions, Child Labour Also Exist In Richer Industrialized Countries. "In Southern Europe, There Have Always Been Relatively Large Numbers Of Children Working For Pay, In Particular In Seasonal Activities, Street Trades, Small Workshops Or In A Home Setting," Notes An Ilo Report - Prepared For A Meeting To Be Held In Conjunction With This Year's Session Of The International Labour Conference (4-20 June 1996).
In Central And Eastern Europe, The Difficulties Connected With The Transition From A Centrally Planned To A Market Economy Has Led To A Substantial Increase In Child Labour. The Ilo Report Points Out That "The Same Is True Of The United States, Where The Growth Of The Service Sector, The Rapid Increase In The Supply Of Part-Time Jobs And The Search For More Flexible Workforce Have Contributed To The Expansion Of The Child Labour Market."
Traditionally, The Proportion Of Working Children Has Been Much Higher In Rural Than In Urban Areas - Nine Out Of Ten Are Engaged In Agricultural Or Related Activities. In The Towns And Cities Of Developing Countries, Where Child Labour Has Increased Steadily As A Result Of The Rapid Urbanization Of Recent Years, Working Children Are Found Mainly In Trade And Services And To A Lesser Extent In The Manufacturing Sector.
Experimental Statistical Surveys Carried Out By The Ilo In Ghana, India, Indonesia And Senegal Have Shown That The Economic Activity Of Over Three Quarters Of Children Between The Ages Of And 14 Takes Place In A Family Enterprise Setting. With The Exception Of Latin America Where Their Numbers Appear To Be Substantial, "Children Employed As Wage Earners Usually Account For A Relatively Small Percentage Of Total Child Labour," Says The Report.   "At The International Level," Notes The Report, "Attention Focuses Mainly On Children Employed In Third World Countries And Predominantly Export Industries, Such As Textiles, Clothing, Carpets And Footwear. In Fact, Though, Children Producing For Export Are Substantially Fewer Than Those Employed In Branches Of Activity Geared Essentially To Meeting Domestic Consumption Needs."
Available Statistics Suggest That More Boys Than Girls Work. "It Should Be Borne In Mind, However, That The Number Of Working Girls Is Often Underestimated By Statistical Surveys, As They Usually Do Not Take Into Account Full-Time Housework Performed By Many Children, The Vast Majority Of Whom Are Girls, In Order To Enable Their Parents To Go To Work."   Girls, Moreover, Tend To Work Longer Hours, On Average, Than Do Boys. "This Is Especially True For The Many Girls Employed As Domestic Workers, A Type Of Employment In Which Hours Of Work Are Typically Extremely Long. This Is Also The Case Of Girls Employed In Other Types Of Jobs Who, In Addition To Their Professional Activity, Must Help With The Housework In Their Parents' Home."
One Of The Factors Affecting The Supply Of Child Labour Is The High Cost, In Real Terms, Of Obtaining An Education. Many Children Work To Cover The Costs Of School Expenses. But, "Many Schools Serving The Poor Are Of Such Abysmal Quality, Or Chances Of Upward Mobility For Graduates Are So Slim, That The Expected Return Is Not Equal To The Sacrifice Made...While It Is True That Many Children Drop Out Of School Because They Have To Work, It Is Equally True That Many Become So Discouraged By School That They Prefer To Work."
Refuting The "Nimble Fingers" Argument.
In Manufacturing Industries, Children Are Most Likely To Be Employed, Says The Report, "When Their Labour Is Less Expensive Or Less Troublesome Than That Of Adults, When Other Labour Is Scarce, And When They Are Considered Irreplaceable By Reason Of Their Size Or Perceived Dexterity."
The Ilo Investigated This Latter Question In 1992 As It Applied In The Hand-Woven Carpet And Glass Bracelet (Bangles) Industries In India, Subsequently Expanding Its Studies To Include The Diamond Polishing, Gem Polishing, Slate, Limestone And Mosaic Chip Quarrying Industries.   The Findings Of These Studies, Says The Ilo, "Clearly Refute The 'Nimble Fingers' Argument - The Claim That Only Children Can Do Certain Jobs, Or Can Do Them Better Than Adults." Very Often, The Studies Found, "The Jobs That Only Children Perform Consist Of Menial Unskilled Work That Adults Could Do At Least As Quickly."
"Some Of The Best Carpets, Those Having The Greatest Density Of Small Knots, Are Woven By Adults," States The Report. If Child Dexterity Is Not Uniquely Necessary To Knot The Finest Carpets, It Is Difficult To Imagine Other Trades For Which The 'Nimble Fingers' Argument Could Be Valid.
Many Working Children Face Significant Threats To Their Health And Safety. The Majority Are Involved In Farming And Are Routinely Exposed To Harsh Climate, Sharpened Tools, Heavy Loads As Well, Increasingly, As To Toxic Chemicals And Motorized Equipment.   Others, Particularly Girls Working As Domestic Servants Away From Their Homes, Are Frequent Victims Of Physical, Mental And Sexual Abuses Which Can Have Devastating Consequences On Their Health.
"Prostitution Is Another Type Of Activity In Which Children, Especially Girls, Are Increasingly Found," Says The Ilo Report. "The Aids Epidemic Is A Contributing Factor To This Trend, As Adults See The Use Of Children For Sexual Purposes As The Best Means Of Preventing Infection. The Laissez-Faire Attitude Of The Authorities In Charge Of National And International Tourism Is Also Largely Responsible For The Current Situation." Another "Extremely Serious Problem," Says The Report, Is Child Slavery.
"Available Information Points To The Existence Of Traditional Forms Of Child Slavery In South Asia And Sub-Saharan East Africa. Instances Have Also Been Found In Two Latin American Countries." Contemporary Forms Of Child Slavery However, Appear To Be Evolving " Either By A Link Being Established Between An Adult' S Work Contract And The Availability Of A Child Or By The Exchange Of A Child For A Sum Of Money That Is Often Described As An Advance On Wages."
"A Large Number Of Child Slaves" Who, According To Reports Cited In The Ilo Report, May Number In The Tens Of Millions, "Are To Be Found In Agriculture, Domestic Help, The Sex Industry, The Carpet And Textile Industries, Quarrying And Brick Making."
"Child Slavery Predominates Mainly Where There Are Social Systems Based On The Exploitation Of Poverty, Such As Debt Bondage, When The Motivation Is The Debt Incurred By A Family To Meet A Social Or Religious Obligation Or Simply To Acquire The Means Of Survival," Says The Report, Adding That Wars Are Also Conducive To Child Slavery.
"A Different Approach Is Needed For Each Of These Different Forms Of Child Slavery," Warns The Ilo. "In The First Instance, Any External, And Particularly International, Intervention Is Doomed To Failure If It Is Not Accompanied By A Process Of Social Transformation Implemented By The Communities Concerned. In The Second Case, The Enslavement Of Civil Populations In The Context Of An Armed Conflict Is A Crime Against Humanity," Which The International Community Has An Obligation To Stop And To Punish. There Is A Growing Body Of Opinion "That National And International Efforts Need To Be More Sharply Focused On The Most Abusive And Hazardous Forms Of Child Labour, Granting Them First Concern And Priority," Underlines The Report.
"Perhaps The Most Telling Social Argument Against Child Labour Is That Its Effects Are Highly Discriminatory, Adding To The Burden And Disadvantage Of Individuals And Groups Already Among The Socially Excluded While Benefiting Those Who Are Privileged."
"For That Reason, Child Labour Is Inconsistent With Democracy And Social Justice."
Estimated Percentages Of Economically Active Children Between 10 And 14 Years Of Age, 1995   (Selected Countries And Territories)
 Africa
 
•    Algeria   1.63
•    Burkina Faso   51.05
•    Burundi   48.97
•    Cameroon   25.25
•    Cote D'lvoire   20.46
•    Egypt   11.23
•    Ethiopia   42.30
•    Ghana   13.27
•    Kenya   41.27
•    Mali   54.53
•    Morocco   5.61
•    Niger   45.17
•    Nigeria   25.75
•    Senegal   31.36
•    South Africa   0.00
•    Tunisia   0.00
•    Uganda   45.31
•    Zambia   16.27
•    Zimbabwe   29.44
 
Asia
 
•    Bangladesh   30.12
•    Bhutan   55.10
•    China   11.55
•    East Timor   45.39
•    Hong Kong   0.00
•    India   14.37
•    Indonesia   9.55
•    Iran   4.71
•    Iraq   2.95
•    Japan   0.00
•    Jordan   0.68
•    Malaysia   3.16
•    Nepal   45.18
•    Pakistan   17.65
•    Philippines   8.04
•    Saudia Arabia   0.00
•    Syrian Arab Rep   5.78
•    Turkey   24.00
•    Thailand   16.22
•    Viet Nam   9.12
•    Yemen   20.1
Europe
 
•    Albania   1.11
•    Hungary   0.17
•    Italy   0.38
•    Portugal   1.76
•    Romania   0.17
Latin America
 
•    Argentina   4.53
•    Bolivia   14.36
•    Brazil   16.09
•    Chile   0.00
•    Colombia   6.62
•    Costa Rica   5.48
•    Cuba   0.00
•    Dominican Rep   16.06
•    Guatemala   16.22
•    Haiti   25.30
•    Mexico   6.73
•    Nicaragua   14.05
•    Paraguay   7.87
•    Peru   2.48
•    Uruguay   2.08
•    Venezuela   0.9
 
Oceania
 
•    Papua New Guinea   19.31
•    Solomon Islands   28.89
•    Polynesia   3.67

Statistics On Child Workers In China
(Child Labour Bullettin N. 25, April 1996)
Data-Collection In China Is Difficult Due To Limited Accessibility To Information, Particularly On Sensitive Issues Like Industrial Accidents, Child Labour, Prostitution, Etc. Moreover, The Absence Of Independent Non-Government Organisations (Ngos) In China Means That It Is Difficult To Establish Cross-References To Official Information From Independent Sources.
Although There Are No Comprehensive Statistics, Estimates Published In Various Newspapers And Magazines Provide A Starting Point For Constructing The Picture. In Addition, The Extent Of Child Labour Can Be Inferred From Indirect Information On The Enrollment And Drop-Out Rates Among School-Age Children.
It Is Estimated That Half A Million Children Migrated To The Southern Coast And Guangdong Province In 1991 Alone (Asian Labour Update, No. 16, July-September 1994, Hong Kong). Most Of Them Are Believed To Be Engaged In Some Kind Of Income-Earning Activities (Child Workers In Asia, Vol. Ii, No. 1, Jan-March 1995, Thailand). It Is Obvious That They Will Take Up Some Jobs, Notably In The Mushrooming Small-Scale Rural Enterprises (Township-And-Village-Level Enterprises, Tves, And Private Enterprises) Where Law Enforcement Is Much Less Effective Than In Foreign-Invested Enterprises. It Has Been Reported That In Some Rural Enterprises, Child Workers Make Up As Much As 20% Of The Workforce (Workers' Daily, 1993.08.27, China). It Has Been Reported That The Coastal Provinces Of Zhejiang And Fujian, Where Rural Enterprises Are Booming, Are The Regions With The Largest Number Of Child Workers. Most Are Around 13 And 14 Years Of Age, And Are Working In Various Rural Enterprises (Legal Daily, 1995.05.02, China).
The Actual Number Of Child Workers In China Far Exceeds Half A Million If We Take Into Account The Number Of Non Enrolled School-Age Children And Drop Outs, And Their 'Career Paths'. As Shown In The Following Calculation, The Number Of Child Workers Nationwide Is Estimated At Around Five Million.
As Stated In The Report, In 1993 A Total Of 2.61 Million School-Age Children Did Not Enroll In Primary Schools, Representing 2% Of The Country's School-Age Children. The Drop-Out Rates Among Primary And Junior Secondary School Students In 1992 Were 2.19% And 5.7% Respectively.
Discounting The Reliability Of Official Data, These Percentages Alone Represent An Enormous Number Of Children Who Stay Out Of School. The Number Is Even Greater If We Include Those Who Do Not Go On With Their Studies After Primary School. Calculations Based On Official Data Reveal That In 1993 There Were About 10.66 Million Minors Staying Out Of School (4.94 Million Primary School Students And 5.72 Million Junior Secondary School Students).
Out Of School, Most Of These Children Are Expected To Take Up Jobs To Help Alleviate Their Family's Financial Burden. Taking This Into Account, The Current Number Of Child Workers Throughout The Country Is Estimated At Around Five Million, Assuming That 50% Ofthe Minors Who Stay Out Of School Take Up Work. This Tends To Be A Rather Conservative Estimate, As Much Higher Percentages Have Been Reported.
The Educational Authorities In Sichuan Conducted A Study On 58 Secondary And Primary Schools In A Certain County And Found That In The First Term Of 1993, There Were 5,260 Drop Outs (19% Of The Total Number Of Students). 85% Of These Drop Outs Went To Work Outside The Province. (Dapeng Bay, June 1995, China)
Among The Drop-Outs And Non-Enrolled Children, Girls Make Up A Marked Majority. In 1993, More Than 2/3 Of The 2.61 Million Non-Enrolled Primary School Children Were Girls (Sing Tao Evening Post, 1995.02.09, Hong Kong). Hard-Hit By Rural Poverty And The Increasing School Fees, Rural Families Invariably Force Girls To Quit School So That They Can Take Up Income-Earning Sideline Jobs At Home. Some Parents Simply Do Not Send Their Girls To School. In General, The Rate Of School Enrollment For Girls Is Lower Than That For Boys. It Is Also Not Uncommon For Families To Send Their Daughters To Work In The Tves Or As Babysitters And Domestic Servants In The Cities. Some Girls Follow Their Neighbours All The Way To Look For Jobs In The Coastal Special Economic Zones. Factory Bosses Are Eager To Recruit These Young Hands, As They Can Keep Their Wages At A Minimum. A 1991 Study Of Six Provinces Including Guangdong, Shandong, Liaoning And Hebei Recorded 1,217 Child Workers In Some Of The Counties And Villages. Among Them, 880 Were Girls (73.5%) (Iron Rice Bowl, Black Rice Bowl And Golden Rice Bowl, 1993, China). This Is Just One Of The Myriad Examples Of The Deep-Rooted Discrimination Against Girls In China.
Setbacks In China 'S Educational Policy
While The Report States That Rural Poverty Has Held Back The Implementation Of Compulsory Education In Poor Areas, It Fails To Face Up To The Role Of The Educational Policy In Creating The Problems Of Non-Enrollment And Dropping Out.
Education In China Is Provided On The Basis Of A Three-Level System Whereby Senior Secondary Schools Are Run In Counties; Junior Secondary Schools, In Towns; Primary Schools, In Villages. Administratively, Local Governments At Different Levels Are Responsible For School Management At The Corresponding Levels. Financially, The Central Government Pays For The Wages Of State Teachers (Centrally Allocated And On State Payrolls) And Part Of The Capital Expenses. In Other Words, Local Governments Have To Take Care Of The Rest Of The Capital Expenses And Other Recurrent Expenses. This Is What The Chinese Government Describes As 'Education Run By The People'. In Practice, This Is Tantamount To 'Limited Education For The People' As Education Is Given A Low Priority, Especially In Poor Areas. Ironically, The Poor Villages, To Which The Central Government Should Commit More Resources, Are Granted The Precious 'Decentralisation'.
Educational Expenses From Village Governments Are Minimal. Villagers Have To Bear The Major Financial Burden. In Poor Villages Where People Can Barely Support Their Basic Living, Little Can Be Collected For Educational Purposes. Moreover, The Government Only Pays Half Of The Wages Of 'Collective Teachers' Recruited By The Schools Themselves (As Against Those Allo Cated By The State). The Other Half Is To Be Paid By The Schools Themselves. In Practice, The Burden Is Shifted To The Students Who Are Required To Pay For Various Kinds Of Expenses. Even Though Basic Education In China Is Free For All, Students Still Have To Pay Miscellaneous Charges To Cover The Schools' Operating Expenses. There Are Various Fees And Charges Such As Application Fees, Examination Fees, Extra Lesson Charges, Examination Paper Fees, Library Charges, Insurance Charges, Health Care Charges, Heating Charges, Water Charges, Electricity Charges, And Fundraising For Various Campaigns. Such Expenses Place A Great Burden On Families In Poor Areas. In View Of The Financial Burden And The Bleak Prospect Of Higher Education, Many School-Age Children, Especially Girls, Are Forced To Drop Out Of School. Some Stay At Home, Helping With Domestic Chores; Some Get Into Sideline Jobs; Some Work As Child Workers In Local Enterprises Or Even In Distant Regions Along The Coast. 
World Trade And Working Children
The Exploitation Of Child Labour Is A Worldwide Problem. Many Millions Of Children Suffer As A Result Of Working Too Young, For Too Many Hours, And In Hazardous Conditions. By The Time Such Children Reach Adulthood They Are Often Damaged Physically, Emotionally, Morally And Intellectually; They Have Lost The Opportunity For An Education That Would Open Up A Better Future.
Children Are Exploited Because They Offer Employers A Cheap Workforce, Do Not Protest And Are Largely Unrepresented By Trades Unions. In The Long-Term, However, The Exploitation Of Child Labour Not Only Damages The Children Concerned But Also Inhibits The Emergence Of A Skilled Workforce, Forcing The Countries Concerned Into A Cycle Of Impoverishment.
The Conclusion Of The Uruguay Round Of The General Agreement On Tariffs And Trade (Gatt) Aimed To Lift Restrictions On Markets And Increase World Trade. The First Ministerial Meeting Of The World Trade Organization, Set Up To Administer International Trade, Will Take Place In Autumn '96. It Is Against This Background That The Recent Calls For Trade Boycotts On Goods Produced By Child Labour Have Gained Currency. Western Consumers Are Naturally Concerned That The Products They Buy From Abroad Should Not Have Been Produced Using Methods That Exploit Children. Trade Unions In The 'North' Are Legitimately Concerned With Supporting Workers In The 'South'. They Also Fear That In Order To Compete With Cheap Imports Produced Using Child Labour, Hard Won Labour Standards In Their Own Countries Will Be Gradually Eroded.
Anti-Slavery International (Asi), Has Been Working On The Issue Of Child Labour For Over 20 Years. It Can Demonstrate, Perhaps More Than Most, A Long-Term Desire To See An End To The Exploitation Of Child Labour. For Many Reasons However, Asi Has Resisted Calls For Trade Sanctions. Although There Are Some Advantages In Linking Basic Human Rights Standards To International Trade Agreements, We Believe That With Regard To Child Labour There Are Signifcant Dangers Associated With This Approach.
Everyone Is Against 'Child Labour'  Mean?
When We Talk About 'Banning' Child Labour We May Be Talking About A Number Of Different Things. 'Child Labour' Is Generally Used In A Pejorative Sense, And Taken To Imply Some Form Of Exploitation. But Different Organisations And Different Societies Attach Different Meanings To The Phrase. Most
People Recognise That There Is Some Work That Children Pelform That Is Not Exploitative, And, Indeed, Is An Essential Part Of Growing Up. Most Will Also Agree That Certain Situations Are Totally Unacceptable. These Two Extremes However Will Always Be Separated By A Grey Area Which Is Difficult To Codify. In Some Languages There Is Great Difficulty , Even In Expressing This Range Of Meanings.
There Are Arguments About Ages (The Un Convention On The Rights Of The Child Defines A Child As Being Under 18 Years Of Age) And Different Stages Of Maturity; There Are Arguments About Culture And Stages Of Development; There Are Arguments About The Merits Of Formal Education As Compared With Work Experience. Table 1 Proposes A Hierarchy Of Child Labour Exploitation Based On Interpretations Of Key International Instruments. It Also Suggests Where The Priorities Should Lie When Designing Solutions To The Problem Of Working Children.
What Causes Child Labour?
Poverty - Child Labour Is Rooted In Poverty. In Many Cases Families Depend On A Child's Wages For Their Suivival.
Lack Of Alternatives - It Is Widely Acknowledged That The Provision Of Compulsoiy Prima Y Education Is The State' S Main Method Of Controlling Child Labour. But The Equation Is Not Quite That Simple. Schooling Must Be Affordable And Relevant To The Child's Circumstances, And Should Provide Practical Skills And Knowledge If It Is To Be Seen As A Worthwhile Investment By The Child's Family. Lack Of Awareness - Many People In Positions Of Responsibility May Not See Some Forms Of Child Labour, For Example Domestic Senice, As Exploitation. Children And Their Families May Also Be Unaware Of Their Rights. Cultural Traditions - The Worst Situations Occur Where It Is Children From Marginalised Groups Who Are Set To Work These Might Include: Former Slave Families; Indigenous Peoples; Forest Dwellers; Pastoralists And Other Nomads; Migrants; And 'Untouchables'. The Issue Of Child Labour Then Becomes Part Of A Much Wider Issue Of Discrimination And Disenfranchisement. In Many Countries Too, The Education Of Girls Is Seen As A Lower Priority Than That Of Boys, And Girls Are Set To Work Earlier Than Their Brothers.
Demand For Child Workers In The Labour Market - Children Represent A Cheap And Compliant Workforce. All Too Often There Are Those Who Are Prepared To Exploit Children For Profit.
The Implementation Of Trade Sanctions, As A Measure In Isolatlon, Addresses Only The Last Of These Issues; And It Is Only The Export Sector That Would Be Affected. The Economic Impact Might Even Exacerbate The Problem, Particulary In The Short-Term.
Laws - Solutions Or Obstacles?
National Laws And International Treaties Specify Minimum Ages For Light Work (12/13 Years), Normal Work (14/15 Years) And Dangerous Work (18 Years). Some Laws Are Drafted For Specific Industries, Such As Mining And Seafaring. However The Labour Laws In Many Countries Remain Unimplemented
Because Of Severe Economic Conditions And Prevailing Social Attitudes. In Some Cases The Laws Are So Unrealistic That They Are Impossible To Implement. In Particular, The Lack Of Compulsory Birth Registration Means That The Ages Of Children Cannot Be Verified In Work Situations. In Addition They Sometimes Fail To Address The Informal Sector It Is Often In Small Workshops, Agriculture, Domesdc Service, Begging And Prostitution That The Worst Forms Of Child Labour Are To Be Found.
The Mere Presence Of Labour Laws May Mean That There Are No Statistics And No Registers Of Working Children, Because What They Are Doing Is Illegal. This Clearly Impedes The Formulation Of Programmes Intended To Help Such Children.
Trade Sanctions Will Have The Most Serious Effect On Those Countries Where Information Is Readily Available. This May Well Lead Governments And Employers To Try To Conceal The Problem And Drive It Further Underground.
Child Labour In The Export Sector
In Countries Undergoing Transformation From An Agricultural To An Industrial Economy, Children Are Increasingly Being Sucked Into The Urban Centres To Work. The Fact That They Are Migrants And Often Separated From Their Parents Makes Them Particularly Vulnerable To Exploitation. There Have Been Many Reports, Some By Anti-Slavery International, Detailing The Exploitation Of Children Working In Manufacturing And Service Industries And In Domestic Work. The Export Sector Is No Different In This Respect: Children Are Used In Many Countries For The Production Of Goods Such As Shoes, Textiles And Clothing, Which Are Sold In Foreign Markets.
The Direct Link To The Consumer In The 'North' Has Made The Export Sector The Inevitable Focus Of International Condemnation. In Tackling Child Labour, However, It Would Be Wrong To Assume That The Exploitation In This Sector Is Greater Than In Other Areas, Or That It Can Be Dealt With Separately From The Rest Of The Economy.
There Is Some Evidence To Suggest That Working Conditions In The Export Sector May, If Anything, Be Better Than Elsewhere. There Are Several Reasons For This. Flrstly This Sector Tends To Be More Profitable; Wages Are Therefore Usually Higher, And Equipment Better. Secondly Some Multinational Companies Working In This Sector Have Had A Positive Influence (See Recommendations Below), Providing For Example On-Site Education And Creche Facilities.
If We Are To Eliminate Child Labour We Must Look Not Only At The Export Sector But At The Economy As A Whole, Including The Service Sector And All Manufacturing Industries. Trade Sanctions Will Only Directly Affect The Export Sector. Without An Improvement In Education Facilities And General Economic Conditions, Forcing Children Out Of The These Industries Might Result In Their Working In Worse Conditions. Implementing Trade Sanctions Might Salve The Consciences Of Consumers In The 'North', But Ultimately May Not Be In The Best Interests Of The Children Involved (Article 3, Un Convention On The Rights Of The Child).
Moreover, Such Measures Create A Climate Of Hostility That May Damage National Campagns To Address The Problem.
Conclusions
Child Labour Is A Complex Problem Which Demands A Range Of Solutions And Sensitive Treatment. The Curlent Debate About Trade Sanctions Tends Toover-Sirnplify The Sinuation And To Ignore The Many Issues Involved. The Debate Must Take Account Of The Limited Effectiveness Of Trade Sanctions In Combating Child Labour. Including Trade Sanctions Within The Terms Of Any Çsocial Clauseè Of International Trade Agreements Must Be Seen As A Last Resort; And Their Implementation Should Apply Only To The Worst Situations. The International Community Must Take Greater Responsibility For Funding Local Programmes That Will Tackle The Root Causes Of Child Labour.
What Can We Do ?
•    Child Slavery Should Be The First Priority For Abolition (See Table 1). There Is Evidence That Some Children Falling Into This Category Are Involved In Producing Goods For Export. Many Governments Have Not Taken Action To Address This Situation And Some Even Refuse To Acknowledge That It Exists.
•    Where There Is Evidence Of Forced Or Slave Labour, And Where Govemments  Have Failed To Take Action To Address The Problem, Anti-Slavery Intenational  Supports The Use Of  Trade Sanctions To Bring About The Eradication Of Practices Prohibited By The Un's 1956 Supplementary Slavery  Convention And Ilo Conventions Nos. 29 And 105.
•    Consumers In 'Northern' Markets Have A Right Not To Buy Products Made By Exploited Children. However, We Believe That Blanket Bans Of The Imports Of Goods Produced By Child Labour Might Result In Greater Exploitation. We Advocate Instead:
•    Product-Labelling That Identifies Those Items That Are Confirmed To Be Free Of Child Labour.
•    Encouraging Multinational Companies To Adopt And Enforce Codes Of Conduct, Either Directly Or Through Their Sub-Contractors. Wherever Practical, Training, Education And Creche Facilities Should Be Provided. The Companies Should Also Actively Engage In The Labour Rights Debate In The Countries Where They Operate.
•    Encouraging All Importers And Retailers To Insist That Their Suppliers Adopt The Minimum International Standards On Child Labour And To Set Up Effective Monitoring Procedures.
•    Child Labour Will Only Be Eliminated Through Long-Term, National Programmes That Involve The Broad Support Of The Populace And Address All The Causal Factors. The International Comununity Must Support These Movements By:
•    Better Targeting Of Development Aid To Help States Provide Primary Education. This Should Be Aimed At Marginalised Children And Other At-Risk Groups Such  As Children Working As Domestic Servants. Me Provision Of Job-Orientated Education, Education In The Workplace, Free School Meals Or Stipends To Parents To Replace The Child's Earnings May Be Necessary.
•    Encouraging Countries To Work With The Ilo And Unicef To Adopt Long-Term  Programmes Of Action Aimed At Reducing And Eventually Eradicating The Use Of  Child Labour.
•    Education Is The Key To Ending Child Labour. If Children Go To Schools They Are Less Likely To Work. A Better Education Also Means A Better Chance Of Getting A Good Job Later On.
•    Women Must Get Better Jobs So That They Can Escape Poverty And Their Children Don’t Have To Work.
•    Replace Child Workers With Adults .
•    Consumers Can Help By Refusing To Buy Products Made By Children. Sometimes There Is A Label On Clothes Or Other Items That Indicate Children Are Not Involved In Manufacturing Them.

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Child labor is one of the worst forms of exploitation.

 Children Have The Right To Be Children

Child labor is one of the worst forms of exploitation. Child workers are deprived of schooling, forced to work in dangerous situations, beaten and sexually abused, and crippled by work-related illnesses and injuries. Children are sold or indentured to employers who pay impoverished families for the use of their children. An ensuing cycle of poverty pushes adults from their jobs and drives down wages worldwide.

For more than 200 million children, today is a workday, not a school day. Children as young as five years old are part of the global workforce. In factories and in fields, children work up to 15 hours a day, seven days a week. Matches, rugs, soccer balls, leather goods, paper cups, toys, shoes, fireworks — all of these products are made by tiny hands.

Every day, millions of children, in rich and poor countries alike, spend their days at the beck and call of adults for whom they cook, clean and take care of children not much younger than themselves. These children are domestic workers.

Detecting the number of children working in domestic service is beyond human capabilities. But, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), more girls under 16 worldwide are engaged in domestic service than any other kind of employment.

The hidden nature of domestic work means it often escapes the reach of the law and heightens the risk of abuse for workers at the hands of their employer. Where legal protections do exist, they are often little known and poorly enforced. Domestic workers tend to be undeclared, under-paid and unable to access complaints procedures. Furthermore, according to the ILO, domestic work is under-valued because it is seen as 'women's innate rather than acquired capacity'.

 Despite their important contributions to their employers’ household and the global economy, domestic workers are among the most exploited and abused workers in the world, due to persistent discrimination, exclusion from labour laws, isolation, and the invisible nature of their work. Children are at even greater risk, due to their young ages, lack of awareness of their rights, separation from their family, and dependence on their employer. While not all child domestic workers suffer abuse or exploitation, children working as domestics are particularly vulnerable to trafficking, forced labour, and the worst forms of child labour, making child domestic work one of the most widespread and potentially exploitative forms of child work in the world today.

Although most countries have laws against child labor, and it is banned by officially recognized conventions of the United Nations and the International Labor Organization, child labor exists everywhere in the world. Child labor is most common in countries where there are no unions and where other worker rights violations, such as pay inequity, discrimination, and lack of health and safety measures, are widespread. The Solidarity Center and our partners around the world are exposing the problem of child labor, pushing for policies that prepare young people for the workplace, and promoting more effective national action plans to curb this intolerable abuse of worker and human rights. Thanks to Solidarity Center programs, more kids are staying in school — while their parents earn decent wages so their children don't have to work.

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Facts About Children and Poverty

Children Have The Right To Be  Children

Childhood Should Be A Happy Time Spent Playing With Friends, Enjoying A Favorite Toy — Even Planning For The First Day Of School. But Children In The Developing World Spend Most Of Their Childhood Struggling To Survive, Without Much Hope For A Secure, Productive Life.

About 25,000 People Die Every Day Of Hunger Or Hunger-Related Causes, According To The United Nations. This Is One Person Every Three And A Half Seconds, As You Can See On This Display. Unfortunately, It Is Children Who Die Most Often.

Yet There Is Plenty Of Food In The World For Everyone. The Problem Is That Hungry People Are Trapped In Severe Poverty. They Lack The Money To Buy Enough Food To Nourish Themselves. Being Constantly Malnourished, They Become Weaker And Often Sick. This Makes Them Increasingly Less Able To Work, Which Then Makes Them Even Poorer And Hungrier. This Downward Spiral Often Continues Until Death For Them And Their Families.

And They Face Incredible Odds. Of The 57 Million People Worldwide Who Died Last Year, 10.5 Million Of Them Were Children Less Than Five Years Old. The Majority Of These Children — Some 98 Percent — Were In Developing Nations.

Treatable Illnesses, Such As Pneumonia, Malaria, Diarrhea And Malnutrition, Become Life-Threatening When Combined With Poverty, War, Poor Sanitation, Inadequate Health Care And Insufficient Preventive Measures.

For Those Who Survive Childhood, The Path To A Secure And Happy Future Is Still Filled With Obstacles. Children In Developing Nations Have Limited Access To Education, Which Limits Opportunity And Reduces Potential.

Economic, Social And Cultural Factors Keep Some 121 Million Children, Especially Girls, From Attending School. Faced With Difficult Choices, Parents Often Take Girls Out Of School To Care For Younger Siblings, Help With Household Chores Or Work Outside The Home To Contribute To Family Income. In The World's Least Developed Countries, Only 14 Percent Of Secondary School Enrollment Is Female. 

Facts About Children and Poverty 

• A.    POVERTY  FACTS
• B.    HEALTH  CARE & NUTRITION  FACTS
• C.    EDUCATION  FACTS
• D.    WATER  FACTS
• E.    HIV/AIDS  FACTS
• F.    HUNGER   FACTS
• G.    ENVIRONMENT  FACTS
• H.    SOCIAL  FACTS
• I.    RELIGION  FACTS
• J.    CHILD  ABUSE  FACTS
• K.    POPULATION  FACTS
• L.    CHILD  LABOR  FACTS

A)    POVERTY  FACTS  

•    Every Day 1,500 Women Die From Complications In Pregnancy Or Childbirth That Could Have Been Prevented. Each Day 10,000 Newborns Die Within A Month Of Birth, And Daily The Same Number Of Babies Are Also Born Dead.
•    Children Under Age 18 Make Up Nearly 48 Percent Of The Population Of The World's Least Developed Countries, Compared With 21 Percent Of The Population Of The World's Industrialized Nations.
•    More Than 1.6 Billion People Lack Access To Electricity And Modern Forms Of Energy.
•    Over 1.4 Billion People In The Developing World Live Below The Poverty Line (U.S.$1.25 Per Day).
•    Annual World Economy Breaks Down Like This:
1.    Low Income, $935 Or Less: 37%
2.    Lower Middle Income, $936 To $3,705: 38%
3.    Upper Middle Income, $3,706 To $11,455: 9%
4.    High Income, $11,456 Or More: 16%
•    In Developing Countries, Approximately 130 Million Children And Teens — Age 17 Or Under — Have Lost One Or Both Parents.
•    More Than 9 Million Children Under Age 5 Die Each Year. Two-Thirds Of These Deaths — More Than 6 Million Every Year — Are Preventable.
•    Approximately One-Third Of The World's Poor People Live In India.

B)    HEALTH CARE AND NUTRITION
 
•    Malaria Kills Approximately 1 Million Children Per Year, Many Of Them Under Age 5 And Most Of Them In Sub-Saharan Africa.
•    In Developing Countries, One In Every Six Infants Is Not Immunized Against Tuberculosis.
•    While The Number Of Deaths Due To Measles Fell Dramatically Between 2000 And 2007, One In Every Four Children In Developing Countries Is Not Immunized Against Measles.
•    Only 55 Percent Of The World's Infants Are Fully Immunized Against Hepatitis B.
•    Only 69 Percent Of Newborns Are Protected Against Tetanus.
•    Malaria, Together With HIV/AIDS And Tuberculosis, Is One Of The Major Public Health Challenges Undermining Development In The Poorest Countries In The World.
•    There Are 1.8 Million Diarrheal-Related Deaths Per Year Among Young Children.
•    Children Under Age 5 Account For Less Than 10 Percent Of The World's Population, But Suffer From 40 Percent Of The Diseases Attributed To Environmental Factors.
•    Acute Respiratory Infections Annually Kill An Estimated 2 Million Children Under The Age Of 5.
•    About 1.8 Million People, Most Of Whom Are Children, Die Annually Of Food-Borne Diseases.
•    Approximately 37 Percent Of Deaths Among Children Under 5 — 9.7 Million Worldwide In 2006 — Occur In The First Month Of Life.
C)    EDUCATION  FACTS
•    An Estimated 130 Million Of The World's 15- To 24- Year-Olds Cannot Read Or Write.
•    There Are 781 Million Illiterate Adults Worldwide, And 64 Percent Of Them Are Women.
•    Nearly 115 Million Children Are Out Of School. Globally, Some 53 Percent Of The Children Out Of Primary School Are Girls, Meaning That For Every 100 Boys Out Of School, 115 Girls Are In The Same Situation.
•    Of The 22 Countries Where More Than Half The Population Is Illiterate, 15 Are In Africa.
•    Only 14.4 Percent Of GDP Per Capita Is Spent On Primary Education Worldwide.
•    About 75 Percent Of Children Out Of Primary School In Developing Countries Have Mothers Who Did Not Go To School.
•    134 Million Children Between The Ages Of 7 To 18 Have Never Been To School.
•    Girls Are More Likely To Go Without Schooling Than Boys — In The Middle East And North Africa, Girls Are Three Times More Likely Than Boys To Be Denied Education
•    For Every Year Of Education, Wages Increase By A Worldwide Average Of 10 Percent
•    Educated Mothers Tend To Send Their Children To School, Helping To Break The Cycle Of Poverty
D)   WATER  FACTS

 
•    Roughly 12 Percent Of The World's Population, Or 884 Million People, Do Not Have Access To Safe Water.
•    Depending On Living Conditions, Including Climate And Physical Activity, Drinking-Water Needs For Individuals Vary, But The Optimal Amount Is Estimated At 2 Quarts Per Day For A 130-Pound Person And 1 Quart Per Day For A 22-Pound Child.
•    About 2.5 Billion People In The World Do Not Have Access To Adequate Sanitation - Roughly Two-Fifths Of The World's Population.
•    Approximately 1.8 Million Children Die Each Year As A Result Of Diseases Caused By Unclean Water And Poor Sanitation. This Is Around 5,000 Deaths A Day.
•    Diarrheal Diseases Can Be Reduced By More Than 40 Percent Through The Simple Practice Of Washing Hands With Soap And Water.
•    Water-Related Diseases Are The Second Biggest Killer Of Children Worldwide. Number One Is Acute Respiratory Infections, Such As Tuberculosis.
•    Approximately 97.5 Percent Of The Water On Earth Is Saltwater. If All The World's Water Could Fit In An Average Bucket, Only 1 Teaspoon Would Be Drinkable.
•    Nearly 90 Percent Of Water-Related Diseases Are Due To Unsafe Water, Sanitation And Hygiene; And Most Victims Are Children In Developing Countries.
•    The Average Person In The Developing World Uses A Little More Than 2.5 Gallons Of Water Each Day For Drinking, Washing And Cooking. Whereas The Average Person In The Developed World Uses 13 Gallons Per Day Only For Toilet Flushing.
•    Agriculture Uses More Than 80 Percent Of The World's Total Water Consumption.
•    Worldwide, Approximately 425 Million Children Under 18 Do Not Have Safe Water.

E)    HIV/AIDS  FACTS

•    Approximately 15 Million Children Under Age 18 Have Lost One Or Both Parents To AIDS. Of These, Nearly 12 Million Live In Sub-Saharan Africa.
•    Sub-Saharan Africa Is Home To 67 Percent Of The Total World HIV-Positive Population.
•    Of The Estimated 2 Million Children Under 15 Living With HIV, Nearly 90 Percent Live In Sub-Saharan Africa.
•    Of The Estimated 2.7 Million People Newly Infected With HIV In 2007, Some 370,000 Were Children Under 15.
•    In 2007, An Estimated 2 Million People Died Of AIDS-Related Causes. Approximately 290,000 Of These Were Children Under 15.
•    Currently, Less Than 10 Percent Of HIV-Positive Children In Need Of Treatment Are Being Treated.
•    About 45 Percent Of New Infections Occur Among Young People Ages 15 To 24.
•    Each Day, About 1,000 Children Worldwide Become Infected With HIV, The Vast Majority Of Them Newborns.
•    To Date About 65 Million People Have Been Infected With HIV, And AIDS Has Killed More Than 25 Million People Since It Was First Recognized In 1981.
•    About 15.5 Million Women Comprise Nearly Half The Total Number Of People Living With HIV, And 77 Percent (12 Million) Of Women With HIV Live In Sub-Saharan Africa.
•    Sub-Saharan Africa Remains The Most Affected Region In The World. Two-Thirds Of All People Living With HIV Are In Sub-Saharan Africa; In 2007, 22 Million People There Were Living With HIV.
•    In 2007, 33 Million People Were Living With HIV. About 8 Percent Of Those 33 Million People Living With HIV Were From New Infections - And One-Fifth Of That 8 Percent Were Children.
•    Although About 33 Percent Of HIV-Positive Pregnant Women Receive Drug Therapies To Prevent The Transmission Of HIV To Their Infants, Only 11 Percent Of HIV-Positive Women In Sub-Saharan Africa Who Need Antiretrovirals Had Access.
•    More Than 6,800 New HIV Infections Occur Daily Worldwide, And More Than 5,700 People Die Of AIDS.
•    Approximately 5.5 Million Young People, Ages 15 To 24, Are Living With HIV.

F)    HUNGER   FACTS

•    One Person In Seven Battles Hunger Every Day.
•    Approximately 963 Million People Across The World Are Hungry.
•    More Than 9 Million Children Under Age 5 Die Every Year, And Malnutrition Accounts For More Than One-Third Of These Deaths. Most Of These Children Live In Sub-Saharan Africa And South Asia.
•    About 5.6 Million Deaths Of Children Worldwide Are Related To Under-Nutrition. This Accounts For 53 Percent Of The Total Deaths For Children Under 5.
•    More Than 140 Million Or 25 Percent Of All Children In Developing Countries Are Underweight And At Risk From The Long-Term Effects Of Malnourishment.
•    Nearly 15 Percent Of Babies In Developing Countries Are Born With A Low Birth Weight Compared With Only 7 Percent Of Babies In Industrialized Countries.
•    More Than 6 Million Children Die From Malnutrition Each Year.
•    Worldwide, 161 Million Preschool Children Suffer From Chronic Malnutrition.
•    Already 923 Million People Worldwide Are Undernourished, And There Are More Than 9 Million Deaths Related To Hunger Each Year

G)    ENVIRONMENT  FACTS

•    At Least 1.6 Billion People Globally Do Not Have Electricity In Their Homes, And Approximately 54 Percent Of People In Developing Countries Lack Access To Modern Forms Of Energy.
•    More Than 3 Million Children Under Age 5 Die Each Year From Diseases Because Of Environment-Related Causes And Conditions.
•    Each Year, Acute Respiratory Infections Kill Approximately 2 Million Children Under Age 5. Worldwide, 60 Percent Of Acute Respiratory Infections Are Due To Environmental Conditions.
•    Diarrheal Diseases Take The Lives Of Almost 2 Million Children Each Year. Eighty To 90 Percent Of These Diseases Are Related To Environmental Conditions, Specifically Contaminated Water And Inadequate Sanitation.
•    Nearly 1 Million People Die Each Year Because Of Malaria. Of These Deaths, 80 Percent Are Children Under Age 5 In Sub-Saharan Africa. Up To 90 Percent Of Malaria Cases Are Attributed To Environmental Factors.
•    About 2.5 Billion People Do Not Have Access To Adequate Sanitation — Roughly Two-Fifths Of The World's Population.
•    About 1 Million Children Each Year Are Diagnosed With Intestinal Worms Causing Malnutrition Due To The Lack Of Sanitation. Many Cases Go Undiagnosed Since Mothers May Think This Normal And Not Seek Medical Attention.
•    More Than 6 Million People Are Blind From Trachoma, A Disease Caused By The Lack Of Water Along With Poor Hygiene Practices. Studies Show That An Adequate Water Supply Could Reduce Trachoma Infections By 25 Percent.
•    More Than 200 Million People Live In Coastal Flood Zones, Which Would Be Dramatically Impacted By Rising Waters. While Some 4 Billion People — 60 Percent Of The World's Population — Live Within 65 Miles Of A Coast.
•    The Number Of People Living In Countries Where Cultivated Land Is Critically Scarce Is Projected To Increase From 448 Million In 2005 To Between 559 Million And 706 Million In 2025.

H)    SOCIAL  FACTS

•    An Estimated 20 Million Children Worldwide Have Been Forced To Flee Their Homes Because Of Conflict And Human Rights Violations.
•    In 2007, For The First Time In History, The Majority Of People Lived In Urban Areas. Throughout Most Of The Developing World, This Results In Larger Slum Populations.
•    Nearly 30 Percent Of Women Worldwide Give Birth Before Age 18.
•    Some 200 Million Women Who Wish To Space Or Limit Their Childbearing Lack Access To Contraception.
•    Nearly One In Five Parliamentary Seats In 2008 Were Held By Women, Bringing The Percentage To 18 — With The Highest Percentages Being In Europe And The Americas. Out Of 189 Governments, Women Hold Only 13 Of The Highest Positions Of State.
•    Young People Ages 15 To 24 Represent Close To Half Of The World's Increasing Number Of Jobless People — Estimated At 192 Million In 2006. This Number Is Expected To Increase By 50 Million By The End Of 2009. In Many Countries, Youth Are More Than Three Times As Likely As Adults To Be Seeking Work. This Presents An Especially Urgent Challenge For Developing Countries, Home To 85 Percent Of The World's Youth.
•    Over One-Third Of All Internet Users In The World Live In Developing Countries, Whose Share Of The World´S "Internet Population" Grew By Nearly 50 Percent Between 2000 And 2003.

I)    RELIGION   FACTS

•    Women Make Up 56 Percent Of The Adult Born-Again Population.
•    Brazil Is The Largest Catholic Country In The World.
•    Born-Again Christians Are More Likely Than The Average Adult To Have Volunteered Their Time To Help Their Church In The Past Week (32 Percent To 22 Percent, Respectively).
•    Nearly Half Of All Americans Who Receive Jesus Christ As Their Savior Do So Before Reaching The Age Of 13 (43 Percent), And Two Out Of Three Born-Again Christians (64 Percent) Made That Commitment To Christ Before Their 18th Birthday.
•    Approximately 69 Percent Of Americans Believe That God Is The All-Powerful, All-Knowing, Perfect Creator Who Rules The World Today.
Religion Around The World Is Broken Down Like This:
•    33 Percent Of The People In The World Are Christians.
•    21 Percent Of The People In The World Are Muslims.
•    13 Percent Of The People In The World Are Hindus.
•    6 Percent Of The People In The World Are Buddhists.
•    2.3 Percent Of The People Of The World Are Atheists.
•    0.4 Percent Of The People Of The World Are Sikhs.
•    0.2 Percent Of The People Of The World Are Jewish.
•    0.1 Percent Of The People Of The World Are Baha'is.
•    12 Percent Of The People Of The World Are Of Other Religions.
•    12 Percent Of The People In The World Are Nonreligious.

J)    CHILD  ABUSE & EXPLOITATION FACTS

•    An Estimated 1.2 Million Children Are Trafficked Worldwide Every Year.
•    An Estimated 300 Million Children Worldwide Are Subjected To Violence, Exploitation And Abuse, Including The Worst Forms Of Child Labor In Communities, Schools And Institutions.
•    Children Living In Areas Of Extreme Economic Hardship And Social Disruption Are At Increased Risk For Abuse, Violence, And Exploitation.
•    About 1.5 Billion Children Live In The 42 Countries Affected By Violent Conflict Between 2002 And 2006. Of 14.2 Million Refuges Worldwide, 41 Percent May Be Children Under The Age Of 18.
•    Worldwide, An Estimated 40 Million Children Under The Age Of 15 Suffer From Violence, Abuse And Neglect.
•    An Estimated 1.2 Million Children - Both Boys And Girls - Are Trafficked Each Year Into Exploitative Work, Including Mining, Factories, Armed Conflict Or Commercial Sex Work.

K)    POPULATION  FACTS

•    There Are Now Over 7 Billion People Living On Earth.
•    Approximately 4.7 Billion People Live In Low And Middle-Low Income Economies. In Contrast, 65 High-Income Countries Have A Combined Population Of About 1 Billion Less Than One-Sixth Of The World's Population.
•    Nearly One In Four People In The World Is Young, Between Age 10 And 24; While 85 Percent Of All Adolescents Live In Developing Countries.
•    The World Population Is Growing By About 0.8 Percent, Or Almost 80 Million People, Per Year.
•    As Of 2006, Approximately 48.8 Percent Of The World's Population Lived In Urbanized Areas. In Developing Countries More Than One Third Of This Growing Urban Population Lives In Slum Conditions.
•    Every Second 4.3 People Are Born Worldwide; While Every Second 1.8 Deaths Occur. The World Population Has A Net Gain Of 2.5 People Every Second.
•    In Sub-Saharan Africa 55 Percent Of Children Under 5 Have Never Been Registered; Worldwide Nearly 50 Million Children Each Year Are Not Registered And Begin Life With No Identity.

L)    CHILD  LABOR  FACTS

•    One In Six Children 5 To 14 Years Old — About 16 Percent Of All Children In This Age Group — Is Involved In Child Labor In Developing Countries.
•    In The Least Developed Countries, 30 Percent Of All Children Are Engaged In Child Labor.
•    Worldwide, 126 Million Children Work In Hazardous Conditions, Often Enduring Beatings, Humiliation And Sexual Violence By Their Employers.
•    An Estimated 1.2 Million Children — Both Boys And Girls — Are Trafficked Each Year Into Exploitative Work In Agriculture, Mining, Factories, Armed Conflict Or Commercial Sex Work.
•    The Highest Proportion Of Child Laborers Is In Sub-Saharan Africa, Where 26 Percent Of Children (49 Million) Are Involved In Work.


Sources: United Nations World Food Program (WFP), Oxfam, UNICEF, UN Data, The World Factbook,Population Reference Bureau, International Women's Democracy Center, Unicef, International Council on Social Welfare, The New York Times, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
(www.unicef.org, www.wateraid.org,www.undp.org,www.barna.org,www.worldbank.org, www.census.gov,www.bread.orgwww.who.int,www.freeworldacademy.com,www.wfp.orgwww.un.org,www.childinfo.org,www.timesofindia.com,www.unaids.org,www.ispcan.org,www.malarianomore,www.ilo.org,www.ncseonline.org,www.crin.org, www.unep.org, www.populationaction.org , www.nationmaster.com)

THE GLOBAL FIGHT

Because Fighting Poverty Involves Everything From Employment To Education To The Environment, It Is A Central Part Of Improving The Lives Of Billions Of People Around The World. Now, With Incredible Technology And Knowledge So Widely Available, We Have The Chance To Completely End Poverty. All It Requires Is That Everyone Works Together. Six Billion People United Behind This Cause: Nothing Can Stop That.
There Are Effective Programs To Break This Spiral. For Adults, There Are “Food For Work” Programs Where The Adults Are Paid With Food To Build Schools, Dig Wells, Make Roads, And So On. This Both Nourishes Them And Builds Infrastructure To End The Poverty. For Children, There Are “Food For Education” Programs Where The Children Are Provided With Food When They Attend School. Their Education Will Help Them To Escape From Hunger And Global Poverty.                  
“Children  Have  The  Right  To  Be Children”  Response
Despite grim statistics, children represent one of the best opportunities for defeating poverty. “Children Have The RightTo Be Children” strives to attack the underlying causes of poverty through health and education projects in poor communities. 

“Children  Have The Right To  Be Children”  Takes A Well-Rounded Approach To Improving Children's Health Through: 
 
•    Water, Sanitation And Hygiene Education Projects That Enable Healthier Households
•    Farming Innovations That Result In Better Nutrition
•    Family Planning Projects That Promote Healthier Mothers And Infants
•    Emergency Response Programs That Meet Basic Needs For Food And Health 

In children's health specifically, “Children Have The Right To  Be  Children” Emphasizes Disease Prevention Through Immunization Programs And Health Training. 

“Children Have The Right To Be  Children”  Works To Break Through The Barriers Of Education By: 

•    Promoting And Facilitating Discussion Between Parents, Teachers And Other Community Members About The Benefits Of Education
•    Working To Improve Opportunities For Education In The Developing World — With A Special Focus On Girls And Women
•    Helping Parents Cover The Cost Of Keeping Children In School
•    Increasing Basic Education Attainment, With A Focus On Enrollment And School Completion Rates.
•    Improving Gender Equality In Basic Education, Since Education For Girls Provides The Single Highest Return On Investment In The Developing World.
•    Enhancing The Quality Of Basic Education, Because Quality Is The Key To Student Retention And Achievement, As Well As Continued Community Involvement And Ownership.

At the Community Level  “Children Have The Right To Be  Children” Works To:

•    Reduce Cultural And Economic Barriers To Girls' Education;
•    Support Community Schools Where Government Services Are Unavailable;
•    Develop Responsive, Participatory And Accountable Systems Of Educational Governance And Management To Address Issues Of Access And Quality;
•    Train Teachers To Enhance Student Achievement; And
•    Provide Basic Education For Adolescents And Youth At Risk Who Have Missed The Chance For A Primary Education.

At the National Level, “Children Have The Right To Be  Children”   Builds Capacity Within Governments and Private Organizations To:
 
•    Develop And Implement Effective Policy Reform;
•    Improve The Quality And Relevance Of Learning;
•    Enhance The Status, Morale And Professionalism Of Teachers; And
•    Advocate Quality Basic Education For All.

BY
ABUL  KALAM  AHAMMED
BARCELONA ,  10TH  MARCH  2012

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WHERE WE ARE ........??????

The Richest 20 Percent Of Humanity Consumes 86 Percent Of All Goods And Services, While The Poorest Fifth Consumes Just 1.3 Percent.
Only 17% Of The World's Population Lives In Industrialized Countries  
2030, The World's Urban Population Is Expected To Reach 4.9 Billion, While The Rural Population Is Expected To Decrease By 28 Million.

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Where WE  Are ....?????

Around the world, in rich or poor nations, poverty has always been present.In most nations today, inequality—the gap between the rich and the poor—is quite high and often widening.The causes are numerous, including a lack of individual responsibility, bad government policy, exploitation by people and businesses with power and influence, or some combination of these and other factors.Many feel that high levels of inequality will affect social cohesion and lead to problems such as increasing crime and violence.
Inequality is often a measure of relative poverty. Absolute poverty, however, is also a concern. World Bank figures for world poverty reveals a higher number of people live in poverty than previously thought.
For example, the new poverty line is defined as living on the equivalent of $1.25 a day. With that measure based on latest data available (2005), 1.4 billion people live on or below that line.
Furthermore, almost half the world—over three billion people—live on less than $2.50 a day and at least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day:

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 Children  Have  The  Right  To  Be Children

Some More Numbers On The State Of The World’s Children

From UNICEF, the world’s premier children’s organization, part of the United Nations:

•     2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation
•     1 billion children are deprived of one or more services essential to survival and development
•     148 million under 5s in developing regions are underweight for their age
•     101 million children are not attending primary school, with more girls than boys missing out
•     22 million infants are not protected from diseases by routine immunization
•     7.6 million children worldwide died before their 5th birthday in 2010
•     4 million newborns worldwide are dying in the first month of life
•     2 million children under 15 are living with HIV
•     >500,000 women die each year from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth

SOURCE: State of the World’s Children, 2010 PDF formatted document, UNICEF, p.18-19. See also ChildInfo.

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