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Said Farah-Ceh

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Working children: should we prohibit, permit or promote it.

For many years various international institutions (such as Unesco or the goverment) have fought against child labor, saying it is a way to exploit them. But since 1976 in Peru there is an organization of children and adolescents who are clamoring for their right to work, ensuring that through work they can get different skills, knowledge and social abilities.

* What is your personal position on this issue that concerns us all, in one way or another?
* If you were the minister of labor in your country, what position would you have to child labor.

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  • Jul 12 2012: It depends on the child & on his/her family. If educational system is unsatisfactory, going for work can be more useful & productive. Strenuous works should be prohibited. Doing small works is fine as it gives child experience & can act as an indirect means of education.

    Hence, I feel that going for works is fine, as long as :
    1)the child is interested in the work & does it with pleasure and the work is part time, with sufficient time for schooling & other activities are present.
    or
    2)there is no other option due to poor financial status & neglect of govt authorities etc.

    But, I feel that Governments should prohibit works involving greater stress for children below 13 yrs of age, as it harms them a lot. Children should be allowed to do what they love best!
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      Jul 12 2012: Sabin isn't it our responsibility as adults to reform those educational systems for not only our kids but for the others whose parents could not give a fig?
      • Jul 13 2012: Yeah, of course... But how?
        And by the way, I am not even 20... So am not qualified to be an adult!:)
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          Jul 13 2012: Sorry Sabin, 20 is an adult and welcome to this crazy hard club where we are all just guessing at the right answers!
      • Jul 13 2012: My name is Sibin actually, not Sabin! :)
        So, what do you propose as the cure for the crazy educational system & political neglect?
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          Jul 13 2012: YIKES! I am more sorry than you can imagine about this error of mine.Please be certain of that.
          My only answer to your question is that we try everything and ward off the complacency and disinterest that have done others in. I adore the questions you ask. Keep asking them of everyone and you can help change the world. Doesn't it help to know that there are others like you around the world who are still trying? It helps me.
      • Jul 13 2012: It does help for sure!
        Warding off complacency is a bit more difficult, right? Easier said than done. Personally, I have no idea on how to change this whole system. The only thing I thing I can do is to walk the talk & motivate others do the same, or atleast get some people thinking the same lines... After all, "It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness!"
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          Jul 13 2012: Gotta match, Sibin? We will light them together, half a world apart.
      • Jul 13 2012: :) Thats a great punch!
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      Jul 12 2012: I agree with you, but in the 3rd point. Because I think that the children should be free to choose a job even if his/her family has enough money, sometimes we just work for pleasure and for that the financial issue is not a problem...

      Cheers!
      • Jul 13 2012: Hi
        Yeah, actually that was just what i meant. I have edited my response now.
        Thank You!

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