International Plastic Bag Free Day || Child labor poses a significant barrier to education

One in every 10 children works - instead of going to school

Child labor indeed poses a significant barrier to education, denying millions of children their right to learn. According to the latest global estimates, 160 million children—63 million girls and 97 million boys—were engaged in child labor at the beginning of 2020. 

Sustainable or unsustainable?

International Plastic Bag Free Day is celebrated on July 3rd. This global initiative aims to eliminate the use of plastic bags. While plastic bags may seem convenient for grocery shopping, they pose a significant strain on the environment. 

Did you know that it can take up to 500 years for plastic bags to disintegrate? 

As a result, they contribute significantly to landfills and waterway pollution. The day encourages us to find safer alternatives and demonstrates that a world with less plastic is possible. 

Plastic pollution is an unnecessary and unsustainable waste of that resource

Our heroine for today is only 11 years old. On the weekends she sells plastic bags in this informal market among adult women.

According to her, she goes to school from Monday to Friday but on the weekends she is forced to walk long distances to sell plastics in order to help her mother who is going through big difficulties.

She sells each bag for 50 Kwanza, to liven up her day at the end of the interview I bought her a bag.

Although the idea of helping her family is good, it is important to educate people especially children that plastics are not sustainable and pollute the environment.

This video shows children protesting against the use of plastics. They encourage people to stop using plastics, saying it harms the environment.

Shockingly, 53 million of these children are not attending school. Here are some key points:

Exclusion from School: Child labor prevents many children from attending school. Among those in child labor, 28% of children aged 5 to 11 and 35% aged 12 to 14 are not in school. This is especially concerning because the majority of those excluded are younger children within the compulsory education age range.

Balancing Work and Education: Even when child laborers manage to attend school, they often struggle to balance work demands with education. They attend school part-time, lag behind peers in learning, and are more likely to drop out prematurely.

Hazardous Labor: Hazardous child labor poses an even greater barrier to school attendance. The situation has worsened due to the Covid-19 pandemic and other crises, despite an overall decline in children out of primary school.

Drivers of Child Labor: Reasons for child labor vary. Some children work because they lack access to quality, free schools. Others are unable to attend due to the time and energy demands of their work.

Urgent Action Needed: Eliminating child labor is crucial for education. It’s a proven strategy for reducing child labor and ensuring that all children have the opportunity to fulfill their potential.

Let’s continue raising awareness and working towards a world where every child can access quality education!