Child labour is a curse upon the world that has, of course, existed for many centuries. That it still exists at all, however, is a blight upon the world.
What has changed, however, is society’s recognition of the issue – and its condemnation of it. And, as a story in the New Zealand Herald illustrated this week, a child labour issue in one country – in which there may be no breach of law – can cause repercussions in others. The story is about the tobacco company, Phillip Morris – which was forced to admit that child workers as young as 10 have been subjected to long hours working for it in Kazakhstan.
What is interesting about the story is how – as a result of technology – the company could lose face in the Western world. And – on a philosophical level – maybe it is this type of commercial and peer pressure that is more likely to redress the problem of child labour, rather than by attempting to legislate in those different countries against its existence.
Also, this week, on a similar note – a story about Chinese labourers, and the increased pressure upon factories to recruit (and, correspondingly, the need to offer better terms and conditions for employees). Perhaps the market has turned in favour of the Chinese labourer as well.
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