UNDERAGE WORKERS

Underage Workers

Underage Workers

Claim

It is permissible for the US companies to hire underage workers in countries that legally permit such hires. It does not have moral significance.Explanation of the claim

There are many US companies where there is a policy to hire the underage workers in those countries where such hires are legally allowed. Ethically, it is wrong to indulge the minor in the business activities. A recent survey by the ILO in Ghana, India, Indonesia, and Senegal revealed that 25 percent of under aged workers engage in different economic activities. About 33 percent of underage children are not attending schools. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims that everyone has the right to get an education. Being deprived of basic education is a serious issue in today's time. Lack of education is the adverse consequence of underage worker. Everything indicates that work too early can cause serious harm to the development of a minor. In India, the underage workers are working in the agricultural sector, small industries or services. The surveys found that underage workers are lagging and remain underweight throughout their lives. In Bombay, it was observed that the health status of underage workers in hotels, companies or factories is much worse than educational institutional going minors. These underage workers accused all kinds of symptoms: muscle aches, chest, and abdominal pain, headache, dizziness, breathing difficulties, diarrhea, and worm infections.

Reasons for and against the Claim

Underage worker is a serious problem in today's world. According to revised estimates by the ILO Bureau of Statistics, at least 120 million underage workers between 5 and 14 years of ages are working. The vast majority of these underage workers are found in developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Many people who work in occupations and sectors have too many risks in working in mines, factories glass bangles, matches or fireworks on vessels fishing offshore in commercial agriculture etc. Underage workers have severe growth retardation; they grow and learn slower than other school children. They remain smaller in height throughout their life. Many underage workers work in hazardous conditions. For example, a major survey conducted in the Philippines shows that over 60 percent are exposed to chemical and biological hazards. 40 percent of them have serious injury or illness up to the amputation other mutilations. Many underage workers work in conditions where they are exposed to substances those effects are felt only after long latency periods. Many diseases like lungs cancer or pneumoconiosis cause due to hazardous working conditions. A WHO report says many underage workers are suffering from epilepsy epidemic in India by chronic exposure to pesticide, hexachlorobenzene, which is used as a preservative for foods. The exposure of pesticides on underage workers leads to labor mortality. In some jobs, underage workers are particularly vulnerable to certain types of abuse. Many studies confirm that such workers are victims of sexual abuse or banging etc. In today's world, the main form of exploitation and underage worker abuse is the exploitation of them in the workplace.

According to limited statistical information obtained from hundred countries, it was estimated that, in 1995, 73 million underage workers were required to work in these countries. However, recent experimental investigations conducted by the Statistical Office of the ILO in a number of countries indicate that this figure is far below the ...