|
Most
working children are found in the agriculture sector. In less
industrialized countries, 60% or more of the population live in
rural areas.
Poor
families need their children to work. Some start as young as 4 or
5 years, either on the family's small holding or on a landowner's
estate. This could prevent them from attending school. Often there
are not enough schools and they may be far away and poorly
equipped. Girls, being less valued than boys, are most likely to
drop out.
Families
usually have too little land to support themselves and can be
forced to borrow from a landlord or money lender. Their children
could have to work to repay the loan. Many products we buy —
tea, coffee, fruits, sugar, chocolate — have been grown on
estates using child labor. These children risk injury from using
tools and machinery and can suffer permanent damage to their
health from spraying pesticides without protective clothing.
|
