The Cost of Child Labor

Releasing children from poverty Compassion Tin Jesus' name THE COST OF CHILD LABOR Child laborers are not simply working an after-school job. They are children who have had their safety, education and childhoods taken from them. Many work full-time for little to no pay. Abuse is rampant. Learn the facts and how to help. THE NUMBERS 150 MILLION CHILDREN MORE THAN 50 PERCENT 4 OUT OF 5 CHILDREN 115,314,000 CHILDREN work without pay. work in ages 5-14 in developing countries are involved in child labor. of child laborers work more than 9 hazardous jobs hours a day. THE GOODS Every region of the world uses child laborers. This map shows some of the most common products produced by child or forced labor. GUATEMALA Coffee Corn Gravel Sugarcane MEXICO Chile peppers INDIA Coffee Hand-rolled cigarettes Carpets BRAZIL GHANA KENYA THE PHILIPPINES Onions Beef Cocoa Coffee Tomatoes O Cashews Fish Rice Textiles Bananas PERU Ceramics Gold Tea Shoes Coconuts Shoes Garments Chestnuts Tobacco Silk Corn Coca Rice Jewelry Gold Rice Soccer balls Rice Timber Tobacco Yarn Cotton Cotton THE DANGERS It's not just about the hours spent working. Children are at risk as they perform dangerous jobs. GOLD Children risk death from explosions, rock A falls, and tunnel collapse. BANANAS Children work while toxic fungicides are sprayed from airplanes. In many countries child laborers earn a third of the minimum wage for banana workers. Children breathe air filled with dust and A toxic gases. COFFEE SUGAR CANE Children are exposed to high levels of pesticides. COTTON Pesticides used during production cause health problems. Farmers refuse to pay their laborers. Child laborers suffer from beatings, intimidations and threats. Many suffer injuries from machetes, which are used to cut the cane. TOBACCO CHOCOLATE Child tobacco workers suffer from Children climb the cocoa trees and cut the A nicotine poisoning. A bean pods using a machete. Workers absorb up to 54 milligrams of nicotine daily through their skin, equal to the amount of 50 cigarettes. Children pack the pods into large sacks and carry or drag them through the forest. THE PROMISE Compassion works to prevent children from becoming victims of child labor. 1.2 MILLION children are at extreme risk for child labor. Compassion children live in countries where Compassion fights child labor on two fronts. PREVENTION INTERVENTION When a child is missing school, our staff notice and work with the family. If a child must work, he is provided with additional educational assistance, including tutoring. Parents learn about the importance of their children's education. If a child is placed in an unsafe work environment, local staff advocate on that Children learn and grow in a safe environment through the local church. child's behalf. YOU CAN HELP STOP CHILD LABOR BEFORE IT STARTS. Sponsor a child today- and provide hope for the future. compassion.com/labor RESOURCES United States Department of Labor. International Labour Organization, Verite, The Guardian, UNICEF, World Bank, and Child Labour Index