What do people think of child labour?

Not all work done by children should be classified as child labour. Children or adolescent’s participation in work that does not affect their health and personal development or interfere with their education is generally viewed as something positive.There are many forms of child labour in our society. Children are engaged in agricultural labour, mining, manufacturing, […]

Not all work done by children should be classified as child labour. Children or adolescent’s participation in work that does not affect their health and personal development or interfere with their education is generally viewed as something positive.
There are many forms of child labour in our society. Children are engaged in agricultural labour, mining, manufacturing, in domestic service, in construction work, scavenging and hawking on the streets. Others are trapped in forms of slavery, in armed conflicts, forced labour, and debt bondage (to pay off debts incurred by parents and grandparents) as well as commercial sexual exploitation and illicit activities, such as drug trafficking and prostitution.
In most cases, these children leave home to live with any of their family relations or people who promise them greener pastures in town, with the hope of furthering their education and escaping from poverty.
But the reverse becomes the case as they are exposed to all sorts of inhuman activities detrimental to their lives and violating their fundamental human rights. Child labour tends to be concentrated in the informal sector of the economy. For some child workers they receive no pay after rendering service, only food and a place to sleep is given to them, while others might be maltreated by their employers.
Mrs  Adebisi Adewoye, a hair stylist,  said most parents that give out their children to live with people in town have no idea what their children are going through and believe that all is well with the child. The children suffer from growth deficiencies and are deprived of a normal childhood and sound education.
Damisah Samson, a graduate of the Federal Polytechnic, Bida also said that children involved in child labour are easily drafted into armed robbery and can be infected with HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Mrs. Ketumi Yusuf Adams, a student of the Federal Polytechnic Bida said, child labour also means child abuse.
In Bida community in Niger State, children below the age of 10 are seen on a daily basis hawking petty goods like pure water, groundnut and sweets on the streets and motor parks because they want to assist their parents financially.
Ketumi also revealed she was a witness to the maltreatment of a maid who lived in the same compound with her.
She said whenever the madam wanted to beat the maid she put clothes in her mouth so that the neighbours would be unable to hear the cries and screams of the maid, this happened for a while until the landlord intervened and reported the issue to the police.
She appealed to the federal government to establish small scale enterprises for parents whose children are involved in child labour.