Child Slave Labor Exists
by Briana Aceti
November 2008
Throughout the world, slavery exists. Slavery has existed for centuries. It is basically the keeping of slaves as a practice or institution. Slavery stories are mentioned in ancient documents, oral stories, in the Bible, and more. Unfortunately, slavery is not only a thing of the past. Although not widely expressed in the U.S., child slave labor exists. Child slave labor is a major problem in many places around the world. Places such as the Cote d値voire, South Asia, and China have child slave labor.
Chocolate has been a delectable treat to people for many years. However, in some places, chocolate is a plague. Cote d値voire is part of the West African country. In this region, chocolate is majorly produced. In the Cote d値voire, males, ranging from twelve to sixteen, have been sold into the slave labor. Far from volunteering, they are forced to work in the cocoa farms. The reason behind their job is to harvest the beans. This is because chocolate is made from cocoa beans. The conditions that they work under are extremely abusive, and are also inhumane. Being the lead exporter of cocoa beans to the world market, West Africa uses slave labor prominently to get the job done.
From the ages of twelve to sixteen, children are forced from their home countries, and sold to cocoa farmers in Cote d値voire. In addition, their job includes harvesting the cocoa beans day and night. Some are caught by agents. Those children are the ones that are alone or are begging for food.
Furthermore, the conditions in which the children work is appalling. The children suffer from many sicknesses and skin problems. Also, the children are hopeless. They may not protest to the officers. As a result, they must endorse the pain. Therefore, chocolate may not be as delectable to children in other countries. Most chocolate lovers in the United States are not aware of the making.
Another place that is suffering with child slave labor is South Asia. In Asia, many children are kidnapped or trapped into servitude. They work in workshops and factories. In addition, they receive no pay. However, they do receive constant beatings. They work in horrible conditions, too.
Basically, an agent from the city does all the work regarding the victims of slave labor. The agent typically goes to the town, and shows compassion for the family, because of their financial problems. As a result, he makes friends with them, and he explains to the parents that he could get their child a job in the city. He also says that the child will be properly trained, will receive proper training, and receive wages. As a result, the parents are filled with edification, and they allow the agent to take their child. Then, the agent gives the parents a piece of paper. The paper has the name and address of a non-existent employment agency. The parents, in return, are pleased. However, they are greatly deceived.
In fact, the children live in a squalid shed or a den. It has no prospects, and absolutely no pay. In addition, they are beaten, not allowed to see their parents, branded with hot irons, burnt with cigarettes, starved, whipped, beaten while hanging upside down, chained up, abused in an intimate way, and are kept locked in cupboards for days.
Another place, in which child slave labor exists, is China. However, the total amount of workers is unknown. This is because the government does not give out such information. Some of the children work in sweatshops. A sweatshop is a workplace where workers are subjected to extreme exploitation. They lack living wages. Also, they lack benefits. The working conditions are poor and dangerous. Many children, who work in these conditions, become ill. Also, they receive unnecessary discipline. They receive verbal and physical abuse, too. Since they are paid less than their daily expenses, they are never able to save any money to invest in their futures. The workers do not benefit in any ways.
Additionally, reports indicate that children are also working in the garment and textile industries. Imported apparel and textiles from China to the U.S. market are more than 4.5 billion dollars a year. One textile firm employs children from ages twelve to fifteen. The children that are subjected to slave labor are deprived of a fun childhood. They are attaining skills at a fast rate. These skills are normally developed after childhood. In addition, they are treated as a normal slave, regardless of their young age. They often receive beatings from their bosses. This experience is frequently emotional for the children.
Child slave labor is ongoing in many countries. Although this is evident, many people are unaware of this ideal. For example, America is not known to have child slave labor. Accordingly, many Americans are unaware of the child slave labor existence. Children are often taken from their families at a young age. They are forced to leave their community, friends, and there childhood behind. In fact, they are treated with the maturity level of an adult. Therefore, they are deprived of their childhood. As a result of being taken away from school, they become uneducated. Hence, they do not have many future opportunities. Some countries where child slave labor is evident, is the Cote d値voire, South Asia, and China. Child slave labor is not unusual, and many children are subjected to it. In these countries, the children are cheap labor. Often, the children make no wages at all. Unfortunately, they have no choice but to agree and work. They may not fight against it. In conclusion, slave labor does exist.
Sources Used:
http://www.american.edu/ted/chocolate-slave.htm
www.anti-slaverysociety.addr.com/slaverysasia.htm
http://ihscslnews.org/view_article.php?id=57