South Asian Business news and information

Child labor is a major problem in South Asian countries. According to the report of International labor Organization, there are 21.6 million child workers between the age of five and fourteen in South Asian countries. The main reasons behind child labor are: poverty, lack of education, and various other social and economical circumstances.

Mazeena Jameel, head of the Children’s right unit, said that Child labor has been existing in Maldives for a long time but it is not talked about openly. Many children from other islands come to Male, the capital of the country, for studying and lead a very poor life. In addition, many child workers are sexually abused. There are cases where the child workers are compelled to return the owners their belongings: books, clothes and other things when they are leaving.

The latest report of International Bureau of Children’s Right says that nearly half of the population of Maldives is children under fourteen years. In order to stop child labor and protect children rights, in 1991, the government of Maldives enacted Convention on the Rights of the Child and Protection of the Rights of the Child. The government also established a national council for monitoring the progress. In addition, under the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Social Security, a unit for Children’s right was also created. However, the legal system is insufficient to stop child labor, child trafficking, sale of children and sexual exploitation.

Children are the future citizens of a country. They will be the one who would build the country but in order to mould them into well educated and responsible citizens, the government must take every necessary step to build a safe and sound environment. The government of Maldives should consider this seriously and try to devise effective laws that reduce child labor.