essay on child labour wikipedia

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Child Labor

By: History.com Editors

Updated: August 24, 2022 | Original: October 27, 2009

Child labor, or the use of children as workers, servants and apprentices, has been practiced throughout most of human history, but reached its zenith during the Industrial Revolution. Miserable working conditions including crowded and unclean factories, a lack of safety codes and long hours were the norm. Children could be paid less and were less likely to organize into unions. Working children were typically unable to attend school, creating a cycle of poverty that was difficult to break. Nineteenth century reformers and labor organizers sought to restrict child labor and improve working conditions to uplift the masses, but it took the Great Depression—a time when Americans were desperate for employment—to shake long-held practices of child labor in the United States.

Child Labor in the United States

The Puritan work ethic of the 13 colonies and their founders valued hard work over idleness, and this ethos applied to children as well. Through the first half of the 1800s, child labor was an essential part of the agricultural and handicraft economy of the United States. Children worked on family farms and as indentured servants for others. To learn a trade, boys often began their apprenticeships between the ages of ten and fourteen.

Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution saw the rise of factories and mines in need of workers. Children were ideal employees because they could be paid less, were often of smaller size so could attend to tasks in tight spaces and were less likely to organize and strike against their pitiable working conditions.

Before the Civil War , women and children played a critical role in American manufacturing, though it was still a relatively small part of the economy. Advances in manufacturing techniques after the war increased the number of jobs—and therefore increased the number of child laborers.

Did you know? In 1900, 18 percent of all American workers were under the age of 16.

Immigration and Child Labor

Immigration to the United States coincidentally peaked during the Industrial Revolution and led to a new source of labor—and child labor. When the Irish Potato Famine struck in the 1840s, Irish immigrants moved to fill lower-level factory jobs.

In the 1880s, groups from southern and eastern Europe arrived, provided a new pool of child workers. The trend continues today, as many immigrant children work in agriculture, which is exempt from certain labor laws.

National Child Labor Committee

Educational reformers of the mid-nineteenth century attempted to convince the public that a primary school education was a necessity if the nation were to advance as a whole. Several states established a minimum wage for labor and requirements for school attendance—though many of these laws were full of loopholes that were readily exploited by employers hungry for cheap labor.

Beginning in 1900, efforts to regulate or eliminate child labor became central to social reform in the United States. The National Child Labor Committee , organized in 1904, and state child labor committees led the charge.

These organizations employed flexible methods in the face of slow progress. They pioneered tactics like investigations by experts; the use of photographs of child laborers to spark outrage at the poor conditions of children at work, and persuasive lobbying efforts. They used written pamphlets, leaflets and mass mailings to reach the public.

From 1902 to 1915, child labor committees emphasized reform through state legislatures. Many laws restricting child labor were passed as part of the Progressive Era reform movement . But many Southern states resisted, leading to the decision to work for a federal child labor law. While Congress passed such laws in 1916 and 1918, the Supreme Court declared them unconstitutional.

The supporters of child labor laws sought a constitutional amendment authorizing federal child labor legislation and it passed in 1924, though states were not keen to ratify it; the conservative political climate of the 1920s, together with opposition from farm and church organizations fearing increased federal power over children, acted as roadblocks.

Depression-Era Child Labor

The Great Depression left thousands of Americans without jobs and led to sweeping reforms under the New Deal programs of Franklin Delano Roosevelt . These focused on increasing federal oversight of the workplace and giving out-of-work adults jobs—thereby creating a powerful motive to remove children from the workforce.

Almost all of the codes developed under the National Industrial Recovery Act served to reduce child labor. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 set a national minimum wage for the first time, a maximum number of hour for workers in interstate commerce—and placed limitations on child labor. In effect, the employment of children under sixteen years of age was prohibited in manufacturing and mining.

‘Orphan Trains’ Brought Homeless NYC Children to Work On Farms Out West

Over a 75‑year period, up to 200,000 indigent children went from city to farm.

Mormons Tried to Stop Native Child Slavery in Utah. They Ended Up Encouraging It

Children were purchased in an attempt to save them from being degraded, but soon became a vital source of labor for early Mormon settlers.

When a Millionaire Married a Teen And Sparked Opposition to U.S. Child Marriage

Before meeting his young wife, 51‑year‑old New York real estate titan Edward Browning had taken out newspaper ads saying he wanted to adopt a 14‑year‑old girl.

Automatization and Education

Changing attitudes toward work and social reform weren’t the only factors reducing child labor; the invention of improved machinery that mechanized many of the repetitive tasks previously given to children led to a decrease of children in the workforce. Semiskilled adults took their place for more complex tasks.

Education underwent reforms, too. Many states increasing the number of years of schooling required to hold certain jobs, lengthened the school year and began to more strictly enforce truancy laws. In 1949, Congress amended the child labor law to include businesses not covered in 1938 like transportation, communications and public utilities.

Does Child Labor Exist Today?

Although child labor has been significantly stalled in the United States, it lingers in certain areas of the economy like agriculture, where migrant workers are more difficult to regulate. Since 1938, federal laws have excluded child farm workers from labor protections provided to other working children. For example, children 12 and younger can legally work in farm fields, despite the risks posed by exposure to pesticides and farm machinery.

Employers in the garment industry have turned to the children of illegal immigrants in an effort to compete with imports from low-wage nations. Despite laws limiting the number of hours of work for children and teens still attending school, the increasing cost of education means many are working longer hours to make ends meet. State-by-state enforcement of child labor laws varies to this day.

Youth Employment Laws. The University of Iowa Center . History of Child Labor in the United States. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics . Children in the Fields. National Farm Worker Ministry .

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2024 Theme: Let’s act on our commitments: End Child Labour!

This year's World Day will focus on celebrating the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (1999, No. 182). It also presents an opportunity to remind all stakeholders to improve their implementation of the two fundamental Conventions on child labour - Convention No. 182 and Convention No. 138 concerning the Minimum Age for Admission to Employment or Work (1973).

Although significant strides have been taken in reducing child labour over time, recent years have seen global trends reverse, underscoring the pressing need to unite efforts in expediting actions to eradicate child labour in all its manifestations.

With the adoption of Sustainable Development Goal Target 8.7, the international community made a commitment to the elimination of child labour in all its forms by 2025. 

Now is the time to make the elimination of child labour a reality!

This World Day Against Child Labour, June 12, 2024, we are calling for:

• The effective implementation of the ILO Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour;
• Reinvigorated national, regional and international action to end child labour in all of its forms, including worst forms, through adopting national policies and addressing root causes as called upon in the 2022 Durban Call to Action;
• Universal ratification and effective implementation of ILO Convention  No. 138 on the Minimum Age, which, together with the universal ratification of ILO Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour achieved in 2020, would provide all children with legal protection against all forms of child labour.

Prevalence of child labour

Since 2000, for nearly two decades, the world had been making steady progress in reducing child labour. But over the past few years, conflicts, crises and the COVID-19 pandemic, have plunged more families into poverty – and forced millions more children into child labour. Economic growth has not been sufficient, nor inclusive enough, to relieve the pressure that too many families and communities feel and that makes them resort to child labour. Today, 160 million children are still engaged in child labour. That is almost one in ten children worldwide.

Africa ranks highest among regions both in the percentage of children in child labour — one-fifth — and the absolute number of children in child labour — 72 million. Asia and the Pacific ranks second highest in both these measures — 7% of all children and 62 million in absolute terms are in child labour in this region.

The Africa and the Asia and the Pacific regions together account for almost nine out of every ten children in child labour worldwide. The remaining child labour population is divided among the Americas (11 million), Europe and Central Asia (6 million), and the Arab States (1 million). In terms of incidence, 5% of children are in child labour in the Americas, 4% in Europe and Central Asia, and 3% in the Arab States.

While the percentage of children in child labour is highest in low-income countries, their numbers are actually greater in middle-income countries. 9% all children in lower-middle-income countries, and 7% of all children in upper-middle-income countries, are in child labour. Statistics on the absolute number of children in child labour in each national income grouping indicate that 84 million children in child labour, accounting for 56% of all those in child labour, actually live in middle-income countries, and an additional 2 million live in high-income countries.

As part of the Supporting Children's Rights through Education, the Arts and the Media (SCREAM) Program implemented by the ILO to combat child labour, students from British Culture College who are conducting awareness-raising activities composed a song and recorded it in the studio.

Find out more

Did you know?

• At the beginning of 2020, 1 in 10 children aged 5 and over were involved in child labour worldwide – equating to an estimated 160 million children, or 63 million girls and 97 million boys.
• Globally, significant progress has been made in reducing child labour in the past two decades (ILO and UNICEF 2021). The number of children in child labour declined by 85.5 million between 2000 and 2020, from 16% to 9.6%.
• Only 26.4% of children worldwide receive social protection cash benefits.
• At the global level, national expenditure on social protection for children amounts to only 1.1% of GDP. In Africa, the region with the largest share of children in the population, the highest prevalence of child labour and the greatest need for social protection, an equivalent of 0.4% of GDP is spent on social protection for children.
• It is estimated that without mitigation strategies, the number of children in child labour could rise by 8.9 million by the end of 2022, due to higher poverty and increased vulnerability.

Source: 52 Key Messages flyer from the ILO campaign materials

Week of Action against Child Labour

This year’s World Day Against Child Labour will be celebrated with a " Week of Action against Child Labour ", marked from 3-12 June 2022. Throughout this special week, events and activities around the world will provide an opportunity to showcase progress on the elimination of child labour.

Past Events

• 2023: Social Justice for All. End Child Labour!
• 2022: Universal Social Protection to End Child Labour
• 2021: Act now: end child labour!
• 2020: COVID-19: Protect Children from Child Labour, now more than ever! 
• 2019: Children shouldn’t work in fields, but on dreams!
• 2018: Generation Safe & Healthy 
• 2017: In conflicts and disasters, protect children from child labour
• 2016: End child labour in supply chains - It's everyone's business! 
• 2015: NO to child labour – YES to quality education! 

Global Issues: Children

Every child has the right to health, education and protection, and every society has a stake in expanding children’s opportunities in life. Yet, around the world, millions of children are denied a fair chance for no reason other than the country, gender or circumstances into which they are born. Find out more in "Global Issues: Children"

What’s the key to ending Child Labour?

To mark World Day Against Child Labour, the ILO World of Work Show  looks at what else needs to be done to protect the 160 million children worldwide who are in child labour - many in dangerous conditions. We will also explore the critical role of social protection in protecting workers and their families. 

Why do we mark International Days?

International days and weeks are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations, but the UN has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. We also mark other UN observances .

• Child Participation
• End Violence Against Children

Child Labour: What you need to know

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According to a report by International Labour Organization , 50 million people are in situations of modern slavery on any given day, either forced to work against their will or in a marriage that they were forced into. This number translates to nearly one of every 150 people in the world. 

There are 27.6 million people in situations of forced labour translating to 3.5 people for every thousand people in the world. Women and girls make up 11.8 million of this total. More than 3.3 million of all those in forced labour are children.

The ILO report also shows that millions more men, women, and children have been forced to work or marry in the period since the previous estimates were released in 2017.

Forced labour has grown in recent years, with an increase of 2.7 million people between 2016 and 2021. This translates to a rise in the prevalence of forced labour from 3.4 to 3.5 percent per thousand people in the world.

By definition, child labour is a violation of both child protection and child rights.

Poverty is the primary reason children are sent to work. But sadly, child labour keeps children from getting the education they need to break the cycle of poverty.

39% of the children - 1.31 million - are in forced labour exploitation jobs, 10% of the children -0.32 million- are working in state-imposed forced labour and 51% - 1.69 million - are working in commercial exploitation jobs.

Some work long hours in factories or in domestic service. Others are in forced labour, including child soldiers and sexual exploitation.

The 2021 International Labour Organization report  indicates that a total of 3.3 million children are in situations of forced labour on any given day, accounting for about 12 per cent of all those in forced labour. And owing to data constraints, these numbers, already alarming, may well be just the tip of the iceberg. The forced labour of children constitutes one component of child labour, which the international community – through Target 8.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals – has committed to ending by 2025.

There are concerns that the risk of forced labour among children has been made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. An estimated 10.4 million children, for example, have lost at least one parent to the pandemic, out of which 7 million have become orphans, leaving them vulnerable to abuse in contexts in which child support systems are inadequate.

June 12 is the United Nations-sanctioned  World Day Against Child Labour , a time to remember the young workers who have been robbed of their childhood, education, and the future they deserve.

What is child labour?

Child labour is the exploitation of children who are deprived of their childhood by work that prevents them from attending school or causes physical, mental, or social harm.

In their early developmental years,  children are especially vulnerable to injuries , though physical and mental health problems may not be evident for years.

Where is child labour a problem?

Child labour is concentrated in the world’s poorest countries, where 40.7% of children are engaged in exploitative work. Sub-Saharan Africa, home to  27 of the world’s 28 lowest income countries,  now has more children in child labour than the rest of the world combined. Child labour is also common in areas where there is insecurity or armed conflict.

Family poverty and poor schools are two major reasons children in low-income countries are in the labour force.

Different forms of Child labor have high prevalence rates in different parts of the world.

Forced labor of children in domestic work is primarily high in parts of Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and South Asia. Debt bondage is largely still practiced inform of traditional practices such as wahaya practice in Niger involving domestic work and sexual exploitation and Haliya and Kamaiya practices in Nepal involving agricultural bonded labour. In South Asia, where endemic levels of debt bondage persist among brick kiln workers, children work alongside their indentured parents.  UNODC statistics indicate that children account for one in every three detected victims of trafficking worldwide, rising to one in two in low-income countries. 

What are the worst forms of child labour?

The ILO’s Convention No. 182 defines hazardous and morally damaging forms of labour and calls for their immediate and total elimination. As defined by the convention, the worst forms of child labour include:

• Slavery or similar practices
• Child trafficking
• Forced recruitment into armed conflict
• Sexual exploitation
• Drug production and trafficking or other illegal acts
• Debt bondage
• Hazardous work that can cause injury or moral corruption

How can I help end child labour?

Pray for children trapped in work that puts them in danger or prevents them from attending school. Ask God to protect them from further exploitation so that they may enjoy the physical, mental, and spiritual nurture they need to maximise their potential.

Give to support World Vision’s grassroots work around the world to protect children from child labour and other forms of exploitation, abuse, and violence.

Sponsor a child . By investing in a child’s life, you’ll help them stay in school. You’ll also help to build up their community so that there’ll be more job opportunities for them to pursue as adults.

What is World Vision doing to end child labour?

World Vision places children at the centre of all our work to transform communities for good. We empower children to know their rights and work toward their own well-being. And we work with their parents and communities to see that kids are protected and that their futures are not stolen by labour exploitation.

By taking initiative in these areas, we help create a protective environment that cares for and supports all children:

• Providing educational services to enhance instruction quality and improve the learning environment
• Providing support for parents to improve their incomes and food security so that children don’t need to work
• Encouraging support for national child labour laws and their enforcement
• Promoting social accountability for communities, governments, and businesses to combat child labour
• Equipping communities — faith leaders, parents, and community groups — to monitor vulnerable children to keep them out of hazardous work and help their families survive without their child’s income
• Promoting decent work for youth who are above the minimum working age through training, life skills and entrepreneurship, as well as savings and credit services
• Empowering girls and boys to understand their rights and develop the skills to meaningfully transform their communities

History of child labour

Children have always contributed to the economic upkeep of their families through farm labour and handicrafts.

However, the growth of manufacturing and farm mechanisation during the Industrial Revolution in Europe and the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries led to many children working under dangerous conditions in factories and farms.

This in turn prompted children labour laws that not only regulated child labour conditions, but also mandated education. Here are some highlights of child labour history:

1973  — The Minimum Age Convention, ratified by 172 countries, sets the minimum age for employment but allows some exceptions.

1989  — The UN enacts the Convention on the Rights of the Child to guarantee protection of children’s rights to grow and thrive.

1992 — The International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) is founded to promote the global elimination of child labour and to support countries in their efforts.

1999  — The ; Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention , ratified by 186 countries, requires ending practices like slavery, child trafficking, debt bondage, forced labour in armed conflict, prostitution, pornography, drug trafficking, and other illicit activities.

2021  — The UN General Assembly declares this to be the Year for the Elimination of Child Labour.

2025  — All forms of child labour are to end this year under  Target 8.7 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.