You want to stop child labor and contribute to a fairer world? Then you've come to the right place! Child labor is a global challenge where millions of girls and boys are forced to work in dangerous, exploitative conditions, sacrificing their education and childhood.
According to the International Labour Organization, around 160 million boys and girls between the ages of five and 17 currently work in such conditions worldwide.₁ Fortunately, each of us can do something about it in our own everyday lives!
In this article, I would therefore like to give you the most valuable ideas and tips with which you can actively do something against child labor. Let's go!
In advance you can find a short overview here:
- Inform yourself
- Look for Fairtrade labels
- Prefer regional products and grow your own crops
- Consciously reduce your consumption
- Inform others
- Support or work for organizations
- Start and support petitions
- Talk to companies
- Boycott companies that do not distance themselves
- Active ethical investment
Why does child labor exist at all?
Before we move on to the tips, let me first explain to you why child labor actually exists. So that you can clearer idea of the problem In the following, I will introduce you to the main causes:
Poverty
Among the most common causes of child labor is poverty. The Destitution often forces families to put their children to work, to ensure survival and increase household income.
Lack of education
The lack of access to education or educational resources often results in children (having to) work instead of attending school and improving their future opportunities.
Labor shortage
Especially in rural regions there is a shortage of labor in many countries, which means that child labor is used as a cheap and readily available alternative.
Tradition and culture
In some cultures, child labor is firmly entrenched as part of tradition and culture, whereby it persists, is accepted and can only be combated with difficulty. In such cases, greater importance is attached to securing the family than to education.
Ignorance and exploitation
Child labor would not exist without adults. Some employers use children as cheap laborin order to reduce production costs. For profit, they ignore the often serious consequences for the children involved.
10 tips: What can I do against child labor?
So girls and boys toil in textile factories and mines or on plantations and garbage dumps for all kinds of reasons. Around 70 percent of the world's child labor takes place in the agricultural employment sector takes place. The service sector accounts for around 20 percent and industry for around 10 percent.₂ These figures give us a rough overview.
It is true that the global problem of child labor cannot be overcome overnight. However, you can immediately ensure yourself that you move from being the partial cause to the solution of the problem. Use the following tips and ideas to help put an end to child labor.
1. inform yourself
Education is the key to stopping child labor. The more I know about child labor, the better I can do my Adapt behavior, make responsible decisions and carry others along with them.
You have already learned some facts. But apart from this article, be sure to also take a look at Documentations an (e.g. The True Cost), read books (e.g. Small hands - big profit*) as well as articles in Magazines and visit Events (e.g. Amnesty International lectures or actions) to expand your knowledge.
2. look for fair trade labels
By looking for Fairtrade labels when I shop, I am supporting companies that consciously stop child labor and Promote fair working conditions in their supply chains. So when shopping, take the time to look more closely and make sure that, for example. Clothing, coffee, tobacco, bananas, smartphone, cut flowers or gold in each case come from ethically justifiable sources without child labor.
3. prefer regional products and grow your own crops
Regional goods do not, of course, exclude child labor. But in Germany, for example, it is prohibited by the Youth Employment Protection Act. There are only some regulated exceptions, such as for vacation jobs.
In combination with the Fairtrade seals, you can exclude child labor. Basically, I advise you to buy food and many other goods as far as possible. at local weekly and farmers' markets and to inform yourself directly about the working conditions there.
Also the Cultivation tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers and other foods in your own garden, on the balcony, in solidarity farming or per Urban Gardening, Reduces the risk of unintentionally supporting child laborn.
4. consciously reduce your consumption
If you want to stop child labor, you should use your However, reduce consumption consciously as a matter of principle and limit yourself to the things you really need. This is another way you can reduce the demand for products made with the help of child labor.
So buy only what is necessary and try as far as possible live minimalist. Especially to avoid emotional impulse purchases (of short-lived cheap products). And when you buy something. buy things that are durable or will give you pleasure for as long as possible. Also the Second hand purchase is a sustainable way to combat child labor, as it eliminates the need to buy new and thus produce.
Tip: Power Consumption actually happy or rather unhappy? In the linked blog post you will get a clear answer to this question.
5. inform others
Use social media and organize events to educate others about the issue of child labor. You can also raise awareness and share your knowledge about the global challenge in personal conversations with friends, family and colleagues.
Plant a proverbial seed and encourage others to do the same in their own daily lives. make responsible decisions and child labor. At the same time, the concentrated power of voices is growing, accelerating change in our global society.
6. support or work for organizations
Fighting child labor costs money, and there are people and organizations who daily to stand up with heart and soul against poverty, hunger and lack of education. With any donation you can support this commitment and make an important contribution.
Here are some aid organizationswhere your donation can make a great difference:
But maybe you have the time and the will to volunteer or even develop yourself professionally in one of these or other organizations. Just have a look at the sustainable job portal according to whether a Job advertisement that fits your ideas. Finally, you have the chance to take action against child labor every day.
7. start and support petitions
By Start online petitions or supports, you can basically stand up against any social grievance - including child labor, of course. With the digital signature collection you can demand and accelerate political changes and stricter laws against child labor. Of course, this also works through the organization or the Participation in a public demo against child labor.
The direct way is also possible. For example, write a Letter to the heads of state of the respective countries, where child slavery is allowed and call for a clear line and positive change. The more people do this, the more likely the wish becomes reality.
One successful example: Rail rider Melanie Weigel has fair coffee desired in the Deutsche Bahn and, with the help of the more than 70,000 supporters of their petition, brought about a positive change in the company.
8. talk to companies
To stop child labor, tangible change is also needed in the economy. However, many companies have never addressed fair supply chains and are literally waiting to be pointed out.
By using the Contact by mail, call or directly on site As a customer, you can demand that the company's internal supply chains and working conditions be reviewed and adjusted if necessary.
9. boycott companies that do not disassociate themselves
When a company Does not clearly and unambiguously distance itself from child labor in its own supply chainIf the company does not change anything or engages in brazen "social washing," then simply boycott it. Do without the company's products and services as long as everything remains the same.
The falling demand punishes the companies that approve of child labor and make profits on the backs of children. The more people who do the same, the more effective the (silent) protest will be.
10. active ethical investment
Child labor is cheap as long as it is not actively combated. A pretty good reason for the respective companies to change is therefore if you hurt them financially. So punish human rights violating companies not only by not buying the products anymore, but also by investing your money elsewhere and for example only buy shares in companies that are aware of their social responsibility and actively combat child labor.
Additional Tip: As climate change and other Environmental problems of our time contribute significantly to poverty, you can especially with the successive conversion to a sustainable lifestyle extremely effective in helping to combat child labor.
Stop child labor by no longer participating in it!
How we can stop child labor? The correct answer to this question is not exclusively the responsibility of politics and businessbut also in our own daily actions!
From consciously reducing consumption, buying Fairtrade goods and targeted information about child labor, to boycotting: now you have learned ten effective and practical tips for taking action against child labor.
Simply integrate them step by step into your everyday life and help alleviate the suffering of the boys and girls affected. Always remain critical and question products, advertising promises and marketing campaigns. And please remember that the fight against child labor is a continuous process and cannot be won overnight.
"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored."
Aldous Huxley
I really hope that my tips will help you and that together we can make a contribution to a fairer world for all children. Do you have any questions, suggestions or further ideas to stop child labor? Then I look forward to your comment.
Stay fair and just,
PS: Also about the World hunger I have put together a detailed blog article for you. If you like, you can now jump directly into the post where you will learn how to use the Stop world hunger simply by following your heart.
References:
₁ German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ): Child Labor Facts and Figures, available at https://www.bmz.de/de/themen/kinderarbeit/zahlen-und-fakten-17970 [06.04.2023].
₂ Statista GmbH: Distribution of children affected by child labor by employment sector in 2020 (as of January 24, 2022), available at https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/1192038/umfrage/verteilung-der-von-kinderarbeit-betroffenen-kinder-nach-beschaeftigungssektor. [06.04.2023].
