Child Workers in Asia

Child Workers in Asia (CWA) is a small support group that developed in 1985. This small support group began working with a few NGOs, but in the last fifteen years it has grown from working with 5 organizations to now over 50 different organizations and groups. These groups and organizations work together to try and reduce child labor as much as possible in 14 different countries.[1]

Map of Asia

• To promote the rights of working children within the contexts of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the ILO Conventions related to child labour;
• To raise awareness and influence public opinion regarding child labour exploitation;
• To provide a channel of communication and facilitate the sharing of information, materials, experiences and resources among people and organisations who are involved in child labour issues at various levels;
• To co-ordinate action between NGOs in the region;
• To assist and facilitate the formation of support groups for child workers at the country level;
• To seek new ways for the protection of child workers and the prevention of child labour exploitation.

Some countries that are involved with Child Workers in Asia are:

• Bangladesh - In this country children are used as workers to do the following: Bidis, Bricks, Footwear, Garments, Glass, Leather, Matches, Poultry, Salt, Shrimp, Soap, Steel Furniture, Textiles and Textiles (jute). They also use forced labour on children to produce dried fish. [5]
• Cambodia - In this country children are used as workers to do the following: Alcoholic Beverages, Bricks, Manioc/Cassava, Fish, Meat, Rubber, Salt, Shrimp, Sugarcane, Textiles, Timber, and Tobacco. [6]
• India - In this country children are used as workers to do the following: Bidis, Brassware, Carpets, Cotton, Fireworks, Footwear, Gems, Glass Bangles, Incense, Leather Good, Locks, Matches, Silk Fabrics, Silk Thread, Soccer Balls, and Sugarcane. Some products that are made by forced child labor are: Bricks, Cottonseed (hybrid), Embellished Textiles, Garments, Rice, Stones and Thread/Yarn. [7]
• Indonesia - In this country children are used as workers to do the following: Fish, Footwear (sandals), Gold, Oil (palm), Rubber, Tin, and Tobacco. [8]
• Maldives - As of 2016 this country's government made improvements to their laws to eliminate child labor. This country integrating a hotline for children who are suffering from the worst forms of child labor, it is called the National Victim Support Hotline. With these improvements [9]
• Nepal - In this country children are forced to work to do the following: Bricks, Carpets, Embellished Textiles, and Stones. [10]
• Pakistan - In this country children are used as workers to do the following: Glass Bangles and Surgical Instruments. There are also some products that are made by forced child labor: Brick, Carpets and Coal. [11]
• Sri Lanka - In this country they have made laws and regulations to rid their country of child labor. They increased the compulsory age for schooling, it went from 14 to 16. But there were loopholes in the system. There were no regulations made for domestic work so children could work as a domestic worker from the ages 14 to 18. Which leaves them defenseless against offenders of sex trafficking. [12]
• Thailand - In this country children are forced to work to do the following: Pornography and Sugarcane. They also have two products that force child labor: Garments and Shrimp. [13]

These countries have come along way and in 2016 they made major advancements to try and eliminate child labor; by adding regulations and different laws. This worked for some countries but more work needs to be done. Even for Sri Lanka and Maldives, who now have decreased their level of child labor drastically, still have some flaws in the system that need to be worked on, but it is a start.[14]