Speech on Child Labour

Our world is driven by supply and demand. Petrol prices, for example, have recently soared to record highs. Just the other day, it cost my father $120 to fill up the old saloon. Things just ain't what they used to be. But nonetheless, even in the wake of these gigantic inflations, those hot Nike shoes remain at a steady price of $85. How? Answer: Child Labour.

Child labour is work undertaken by a child that is harmful to them in some way. The labour could be harmful by making them sick, stopping them from getting an education or damaging them emotionally.

The worst forms of child labour include using children as slaves or prostitutes, forcing them to sell drugs or commit crimes, setting them on fire for fun, using them as soldiers in conflict situations and for other dangerous work like target practise. Often children found in these situations have been forced to do the work against their will. If children are trafficked to other places in a country or to a different country altogether, it makes it harder for them to escape their situation and it takes them away from their friends and families.

But there are some good things about child labour. The food shortages help contribute to low obesity levels among children. The cheap labour contributes to low prices for goods and services in western countries like ours which means cheaper clothes and shoes. Child labour keeps kids off the streets and it teaches them important life skills like farming, sewing and making fireworks. It has also been said that the one thing in a third world society which could survive a nuclear attack is child labour. That is actually incorrect, cockroaches are the only things that can survive a nuclear attack.

Don't you just love child labour? I know I do. You know the old saying "Where there's a will, there's child labour". But seriously folks, child labour is surprisingly not quite as good as it sounds. Some children endure terrible working conditions, rolling cigarettes in the freezing cold or working in their own or others sewerage, subject to disease and or death. Some children will work at the same place all their lives, simply working to stay alive another day. The interests of these children are not a concern for millions of people in the western world. Don't be alarmed, at one stage or another, every man, woman, or child will be faced with the issue of child labour. Like, me for example. When I was ten years old I was broke and I needed a job. I applied everywhere, but nobody would hire a ten year old. Those kids should count themselves lucky to have the opportunity to be able to work.

Child labour is both a need and a want. Like the wise man said "Some child labour a day, keeps the doctor away". It enlightens our daily lives, it stimulates and statistically it's great. But the question which we must each ask ourselves is will we allow child labour to win our vote? Answer: No, no we won't.

To conclude, the subject of child labour deserves all of the attention it gets and it won't just lay down and die, no pun intended. If you want to do something about the ongoing issue of child labour, please, sponsor a child today. I will leave you with a quote from legendary Beyonce J. Fox: "I really, really, really like child labour."