How Much Child Labor in the World?

Factories – The garment and fashion industries push child labor. Children are involved in every part of the clothing-making process.

Agriculture – Cotton and cocoa farming, as well as other areas of agriculture, are major culprits of child labor. Cotton is the best-selling fabric in the world, so the cotton market is very appealing to farmers. Children work up to 12 hours a day, seven days a week during the harvest period, and they make less than $1.50 per day.

Mines – An example of child labor in the mining industry is found in The Democratic Republic of the Congo, where cobalt mining is prevalent. Congolese activists who are working to end the abuse say there are about 10,000 children in the country’s mining industry.

Fishing – Child labor is also popular in commercial fishing, especially in Honduras, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Ghana, Haiti, Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand. This is because there are gaps in labor protection in those countries.

Domestic Help – In many countries, small girls and teens are forced into domestic responsibilities, toiling for long hours with little compensation.

Child Soldiers – Children are sometimes called upon to serve their countries in armed conflicts, one of the worst forms of child labor. Some fight on the front lines, serve on suicide missions, or act as lookouts.