Causes of Child Labor

Child labor has been the most attention in the world during two century. In our country, many children are engaged in some factories. Why does child labor occur? [There are some reasons for this] The factors that causes children to be a labor are economic condition, social culture, and education.

Poverty causes many children in Indonesia to be a child labor. Poor families rely on child labor in order to improve their chances of attaining basic necessities. Ajud one of child labor who has been working at PT Widya Sarana Nusaprima, one of the big factories in Tangerang, West Java, that manufactures Reebok shoes, said that he had no choice but to work since they were poor and he could have not pursue his studies (Online Asia Times, 2000). Ajud become a child labor for help their families because his mother just be a housewife and his father is taxi driver. In other case, the parents of a child who cannot find jobs because difficult to getting the jobs now, so that the parents forcing their child to work instead. Children are more easily employed because they can be paid less than adult, and because they are more obey and easier to exploit.

Another causes of child labor is social factors. Social culture in Indonesia caused some parents of children think that encourage their children to work is one of learning process to appreciate work and responsibility. And also they expect that their children can help the economical of their family. Child labor also cause of dysfunctional family also. A child is forced to work by her parent. And the parent spends all the money for drinking, gambling, and another harmful addiction.

Educating a child can be a significant financial burden. Many children in Indonesia do not attend school because they don’t have money for pay the school. Now, Government provide free education, but in fact “free” education is very costly to a poor family because they are expected to purchase uniforms and book. The consequence is the parents better sending their children to work than sending their children to school.

Because of that, the government have to decrease amount of child labor by rearrange the national child labor laws. The government have to give attention for this. This situation is compounded by the fact that governments fail to provide adequate resources for education, employment, and health.

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