Of late, child labour is increasingly becoming a matter of concern for global observers. Last year, while observing World Day against Child Labour in June, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said that driven by an increase in conflicts and climate-induced disasters in recent years, child labour has been on the rise in the agriculture sector worldwide. In order to foster a worldwide movement against child labour in all its forms, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has been observing June 12 as 'World Day against Child Labour' since 2002.
The increase in child labour in agricultural sector is interesting as it was on the decline for more than a decade earlier. An ILO report has noted that the surge in child labourers in agriculture sector globally has increased from 98 million in 2012 to 152 million in 2016. The ILO attributed this increase to mainly prolonged conflicts and climate-related natural disasters followed by forced migration.
As per the report, nearly three out of every four child workers are working in agriculture sector. It also needs to be noted that 70 per cent of them are unpaid family labourers. The incidence of child labour in countries affected by armed conflict is 77 per cent higher than the global average. Nearly half of all child labour of the world now takes place in Africa, which has around 72 million child workers. As such, one in five of Africa's children, are engaged in child labour. Of them the vast majority works in agriculture, followed by the continent of Asia with 62 million.
It is also believed that a chunk of child workers who used to work in construction and manufacturing sectors before 2008 in developing countries, have moved into agriculture, after the former sectors stopped taking child workers altogether due to social and global pressure against the issue.
Child labour exists in Bangladesh as well. Its prevalence has led to a stark difference in the physiological and mental growth of children from low income households against their counterparts from middle and upper income households.
For example, a child of around 10 years of age from an affluent family normally wakes up, brushes his teeth and eats breakfast before getting ready for school. But the story is different for many children from rural and urban families. They wake up around dawn and instantly rush for work. Their life is not so smooth and comfortable.
The traders and agriculturists who employ children claim that they do so, on humanitarian grounds. The authorities concerned almost echo the same words though they claim that they are taking initiatives to ensure education of street, rural and working children.
Bangladesh's social norms and economic realities have made child labour nearly acceptable and is thus very common. As child labour is cheap and child labourers are considered to be more obedient than adults, the employers often prefer to employ children. As per UNICEF statistics, there are around 3.2 million child labourers in Bangladesh who are still working hard for livelihood in different sectors including agriculture.
Since more than 70 per cent of child labour worldwide takes place in agriculture, it is vital to integrate child labour into national agricultural policies across the globe. At the same time it is also necessary to address the issue at the household and industrial levels in countries including Bangladesh. Otherwise, the situation can exacerbate poverty.
Sarwar Md Saifullah Khaed is a retired Professor of Economics, BCS General Education Cadre.