June 1st — International Children's Day. We are accustomed to thinking about protection from war, diseases, and violence. But there is another threat: child labor. In the world, 160 million children work instead of studying and playing. They dig, wash, crawl under the ground. Not for wages, but for a bowl of rice. June 1st is the day when we should say: “Childhood is not for work.” We tell about the scale of the problem, the fight, and how everyone can help. Shocking Numbers According to the UN, by 2026, there will be 160 million children aged 5-17 engaged in child labor worldwide. This is every 10th child. The most in Africa (72 million), Asia (62 million), Latin America (13 million). 80% of children work in agriculture, 12% in services, 8% in industry (including mines). 70 million children are engaged in hazardous work: with pesticides, in mines, on construction sites, with sharp tools. Every year, from 10,000 to 30,000 children die on the job. In Russia, child labor is prohibited. But according to unofficial data, children work on markets, in auto repair shops, picking berries and mushrooms (often migrants). There is no accurate statistics. Why Do Children Work Poverty. Families cannot feed their children, and the child is forced to earn a living. In Africa, a child's income can be half of the family's income. Cultural traditions. In some societies, working is normal. A child should “help.” Lack of schools. If there are no schools or they are far away, parents send children to work. Conflicts and migration. Child refugees often work in the black market without documents. Debt. Parents send children into bonded labor for a loan. Corruption. Labor inspections do not work, and employers benefit from using cheap child labor. Most Dangerous Types of Child Labor Mines. Children mine cobalt, tin, gold in Africa. They work 12 hours a day without a protective mask, breathing toxic dust. Many die from collapses. Agriculture. On cocoa plantations (Côte d'Ivoire), children w ... Read more