Where Is Child Labor Still Happening?
To understand where is child labor still happening, you have to ask what kinds of industries employ children. The number one industry that uses child labor by far is the agricultural sector.[1] It has long been the case that where agriculture is a large part of a country’s economy, you will often find illegal situations where children are working.
According to World Atlas, the top three worst countries for child labor include Bangladesh, Chad and The Democratic Republic of Congo.[2] In each of these three countries, agriculture is one of the areas where children are employed.[3] One of the most dangerous forms of child labor in agriculture is harvesting cocoa where children use machetes to help harvest the beans.[4]
There are many other countries that also battle this devastating reality of children working. The most dangerous cases of child labor involve mining, human trafficking, child soldiers, prostitution, and more. No child should have to endure this or even have to work long hard hours, especially if it takes them out of school or traumatizes them for the rest of their lives.
GFA World wants to help see this crisis end. Loving GFA missionaries are trained to look for and understand the roads that lead to child labor so that they can help families get and keep their children in school. This is one of the reasons behind our Child Sponsorship Program.
At the heart of the Child Sponsorship Program is the idea that every child should have the chance to learn, grow and play so they can develop into healthy adults, contributing to their families, communities and countries. This kind of healthy adult will help break the cycle of poverty that so many generations keep passing down without hope for a better future.
Sponsors only need to commit to $35 a month to help one child get onto a path of health and growth. The program provides key support according to the needs of the family, such as tutoring assistance, nutritious food, medical care and help with required school supplies. Their parents are likely working long hard hours, but knowing their child has both teachers and program staff looking out for them is a huge relief for families.
The tender care and compassion shown by the program staff through the Child Sponsorship Program can and very often does change the trajectory of a child’s life. Instead of fighting to keep up in school after having to work long hours, they can relax into the part of their life where they can grow mentally and physically.
Sponsor a child today and help keep them out of the fields and in school.
Learn more about what is child labor[1] “The Agricultural Sector Accounts for the Largest Share of Child Labor Worldwide.” International Labour Organization. https://www.ilo.org/ipec/ChildlabourstatisticsSIMPOC/WCMS_817701/lang–en/index.htm. Accessed January 9, 2023.
[2] “Worst Countries for Child Labor.” World Atlas. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/worst-countries-for-child-labor.html. Accessed October 27, 2022.
[3] Ibid.
[4] “Child Labor and Slavery in the Chocolate Industry.” Food Empowerment Project. https://foodispower.org/human-labor-slavery/slavery-chocolate/. Accessed October 27, 2022.