Child labor has been an issue burdening
the lives of Afghanistan’s youth ever since the invasion of the Soviet Union in
1979 and the military takeover by the Taliban shortly thereafter. These
disturbances in Afghan society have not only resulted in many civilian
casualties, but indirectly augmented child labor in the country. "UNICEF
estimates that up to 30 percent of school age children are working as the sole
source of income for their families" (Reihing). Children endure hard labor in
shops, tailoring, farming, brick making, trading narcotics such as opium, and
even begging. War with the Soviet Union and the Taliban has resulted in many
injured and impoverished families which have no other option but to initiate child
labor within Afghanistan, preventing the possibility of an education for many
Afghan children.
 |
| Children making bricks in Kabul. (http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/pglHvj91mPI/Children+Work+Kabul+Brick+Factory) |
 |
| A young boy working at a car repair shop in Kabul. (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/111017095301-kabul-child-worker-t1larg-story-top.jpg) |
Power
struggles and continuous conflict within Afghanistan since the invasion of the
Soviet Union in 1979 have indirectly initiated the issue of child labor. “The
Taliban emerged as a resistance movement aiming to eject the Soviet troops from
Afghanistan” (Nazareth College). Pakistan and the United States were actively
funding the Taliban, providing financial and military support. When the Soviet
troops withdrew 10 years later, the Afghan government was overthrown and the
Taliban rose to power and captured the capital of Kabul. Once Bin Laden was
named the leader of the Taliban and began to engage in terrorism, the United
States intervened militarily and fought to remove the Taliban. Unknowingly,
this series of unfortunate events resulted in the issue of child labor which blatantly
defies the unenforced Afghan law that workers must be at least 15 years old (Reihing). Many children are forced
to work because either their families were injured or killed as a result of the
constant warfare and also due to the fact that it is not culturally acceptable
for women to work outside the home. "The economic pressure to work means that over 3 million children are being denied an education" (Reihing). Afghan children have no choice but to deny themselves a basic
human right in order to keep their families alive.
 |
| Members of the Taliban in Afghanistan (http://awwproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/four-talib.jpg) |
As
a result of the political turmoil and warfare caused by the Taliban, the issue
of child labor is now more alarming than ever. Recently, the United States
announced a gradual withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. This is incredibly
threatening to the Afghan people because the Taliban will no longer be hindered
by US troops and can once again attain control and terrorize the country.
Consequently, child labor will only increase due to the withdrawal of US troops
as the literacy rate steeply decreases. The problem with child labor is that it
is creating a generation of illiterate Afghans that will be trapped in a vicious circle of poverty that will not come to an end until the warfare in
Afghanistan does.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9puaIvIKqg)
The video above, "Children of Conflict", depicts the lives of Afghan children engaged in child labor.
1:20-1:25 An Afghan boy explains the effects that war has had on his life. 7:22-7:52 Afghan families understand the importance of an education, but have no choice but to send their children to work because they face a larger problem--starvation.
10:04-10:16 Taliban fighters continue to cause problems on the border which leads to many casualties.
Sources:
"History
of the Taliban." Nazareth College. Web.
<http://www-pub.naz.edu:9000/~aamghar6/History%20of%20the%20Taliban.htm>
Synovitz, Ron. "Afghanistan:
Child Laborers Miss School, Face Spiral Of Poverty." Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty. 11 June 2007. Web. 04 May 2012.
<http://www.rferl.org/content/article/1077069.html>.
Reihing,
Alexandra. "Child Labor in Afghanistan." Policy Innovations. 20
June 2007. Web. 28 Apr. 2012
<http://www.policyinnovations.org/ideas/briefings/data/afghan_child_labor>.
Response to Christine by Cathlynne:
ReplyDeleteAlthough child labor in Afghanistan initially spurred from the after effects of war with the Soviet Union and the overbearing rule of the Taliban, it is also enforced due to the extreme poverty and poor human development in Afghanistan today. It is indubitably certain that the main cause of child labor was stimulated by the war and the Taliban as Christine mentioned, but what she failed to focus on was that these causes, which lasted for decades, have put Afghanistan in a state of immense poverty. Being that more than fifty percent of the Afghanistan population is less than eighteen years old, most, if not all, of the income of families comes from the children (Nichols). With the pressure of providing their families with food for the day, many children choose to support their families by working rather than getting an education. This leads to the topic of overall human development within Afghanistan. Without education, they are inadequately unable to vacate themselves out of poverty, which then still enforces children to provide for their families. As this goes on, the people of Afghan are incapable of growing as a nation. Poor human development and poverty leave Afghanistan in a state of dysfunction, where child labor is a necessity for many of the families. Therefore, Christine is accurate on exactly why child labor stimulated, but did not go in depth on the lasting effects that the war and the Taliban caused.
Response to Christine by Aleksandra:
ReplyDeleteChristine is correct in stating that warfare with the Soviet Union spawned economic pressure, which resulted in the rise of child labor. However, she fails to capture the huge social component of this problem. She points out that it is not socially acceptable for women to work, but does not state that communities hold that mindset due to previous strict Taliban rule. This is a vital point to make because more children are sent to work due to this community outlook. Christine also doesn’t identify the families’ dilemma in choosing to send their children to school or to work. Families, especially in urban areas, vouch for child labor due to the poor quality of schools. One mother from Heart said it well, “My daughter has studied up to fourth grade, but she still can’t read or write, so what was the point of going to school?” (Sims). Classrooms are overridden with students, which results in lack of attention. Also, most teachers are unqualified and may even become abusive. Therefore, some families believe that working is an education in itself, since children learn a practical skill that gives them a change to support themselves in an uncertain future. Also, current Afghan law states that children from 14 years of age can legally work up to a maximum of 35 hours a week (Nichols), a year younger than Christine stated. Child labor in Afghanistan is a complex issue revolving around a cycle of poverty and political turmoil, which Christine accurately portrays, but it also involves strong social values and the absence of good education, aspects that she does not point out well.
Nichols, Michelle. "Child Labor Helps War-torn Afghan Families Survive." Rawa News. 19 Dec. 2010. Web. .
Sim, Amanda. "Confronting Child Labour in Afghanistan." Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (2009). Print.
Response to Christine by Kevin:
ReplyDeleteI agree with Christine since she does name political turmoil due to the military actions of the Taliban and the Soviet Union and its resulting economic bedlam as vital factors for child labor. However, she does not discuss the huge socioeconomic impact the need for basic goods has had on child labor. Many Afghan families have basic human needs, such as food, clothing and medicine, which they are simply unable to afford with just one man's, often irregular, income. (Kantor) Hence, to supplement, or sometimes outright replace, that income, families send children out to work. Also, families will often pay for these goods on credit and must work to pay it back. This work is often done by the children, some out of a sense of obligation to the family. However, these goods are purchased on a regular basis, since people need to eat and want their loved ones to recover from sicknesses caused by poor sanitation conditions. This creates a cycle of perpetual debt for the families, forcing the children to constantly work. (Kantor) These children must work in order to help their families simply survive.
Concluding Response:
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I’d like to thank you all for your constructive comments. I agree with Cathlynne, Aleksandra, and Kevin in that there are many additional social and economic reasons why child labor is so prevalent in Afghanistan that I failed to elaborate on. As Cathlynne stated, the rule by the Taliban destroyed the country’s economy resulting in widespread poverty. Destitute families had no other choice but to send their children to work in order to survive. Also, the country itself is stuck in a state of economic adolescence because, as Kevin mentioned, the Afghan people are constantly in debt. Moreover, I agree with Aleksandra’s comment in regards to women working not being socially acceptable due to Taliban rule, but there are additional social aspects that cause children to work as stated by Reihing, “social norms and law prevented women from leaving their homes when the Taliban was in power. Although that law has changed, it is still not culturally acceptable for women to work outside the home, and if a woman has been widowed or her husband is unable to work due to injury or illness, support of the family falls to other male relatives. When there is no extended family support, or it is insufficient to support a large family, children become the breadwinners.” In regards to the minimum age to work as brought up by Aleksandra, Article 31 of the Republic of Afghanistan’s Labor Code states that one of the terms of recruitment is, “the minimum age for work is 18; and for light type of business, the minimum age of work is 15. The minimum age for gaining training is completion of 14 years.” Therefore, Afghan children are legally allowed to work at the age of 15, not 14, but because this law is not strictly enforced, most do not abide to it and work at very young ages to support their families. Cathlynne, Aleksandra, and Kevin are correct, but I still believe that Afghanistan is in such a poor socioeconomic state because of the destructive rule of the Taliban.
The Labor Code of Afghanistan: http://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/MONOGRAPH/78309/83636/F774573068/AFG78309.pdf