FACT: Education holds the key to helping families end the cycle of poverty.

Young children below the age of 14 continue to work in many developing countries. According to official statistics, the proportion varies from less than 10 percent in Colombia, Egypt, Lebanon, and Venezuela to more than 50 percent in Cameroon, Chad and Niger. Definitions of child labor, however, also vary. Some point out that all children, in both rich and poor societies, do some kind of work whether at home or elsewhere. Without a hard and fast definition, what then constitutes child labor? The answer depends upon two important questions: Does the work prevent the child from enjoying his or her childhood? And, does the work prevent the child from creating opportunities for his or her future, particularly through education?

In many societies in developing countries, children are forced to work long hours for extremely low wages, and they are denied the right to what the Universal Declaration of Human Rights calls “social protection” as well as the right to go to school. They typically hold a range of jobs, which often require strenuous labor in difficult environments. Some examples include employment as workers in chemical and glass factories, mines, and construction sites, as well as servants in hotels and the homes of the affluent. Young girls are frequently held back at home to help with household chores, look after siblings or work in the fields.

According to the Global March against Child Labor and UNICEF, an estimated 246 million children are engaged in labor worldwide. Why is child labor so rampant? In some cases, circumstances may force the eldest child to work if the main income earner of the family suddenly dies or becomes incapacitated. But this is not the case with a vast majority of working children. Most are merely victims of economic exploitation and profiteering.

In many countries, some children become ‘bonded’ laborers – ‘sold’ to employers and moneylenders in order to repay debts held by their parents. Often, there are no records of such debts. There are several reasons why this occurs. Employers prefer hiring children because they can be paid less, and intimidated into compliance by a range of methods. They are made to work long hours and cannot form unions and protest. In other words, children are extremely vulnerable. Why else would a business or affluent family hire children, especially in poor countries when there are so many adults who are unemployed and desperate for work?

How can a society eliminate child labour? It has been found that child labour is more widespread in societies that do not respect or guarantee a child’s right to primary education. If children are required to be in school, then clearly they would not be found in the workplace. Why doesn’t society ensure that all children go to school? It was once believed that parents were not interested in educating their children or were too poor to do so. This is no longer believed by education experts.

Parents everywhere are very keen to send their children to decent schools, as they recognize education as an effective way to end the poverty cycle. And if the government provides free primary education, how then is the question of affordability relevant? The real challenge is that there are not enough schools offering quality primary education. In many countries, the government school infrastructure is crumbling, classrooms are inadequate, educators are frequently absent or untrained to teach, and materials are lacking. As a result, children learn little, even when they attend school regularly. They become disillusioned and drop-out, joining the workforce at a very young age.

The only way for children to have the childhood that labour robs from them is for governments, local and national, to strictly enforce laws regulating child labour and punish those who forgo them. In fact, all segments of society must work together to create conditions that allow families to fulfill their basic needs and prioritize the education of their children. They must focus on strengthening school systems so that a quality education is available to all children, girls and boys. It is only through realizing the right of every child to get an education that societies can eliminate child labour, and increase their own potential for prosperity as well.