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Could you define child slavery in your own words and describe its most common forms?

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I would define child labour as the practice of making children under 18 years work without their consent or out of compulsion. It is an exploitative practice that forces children to work in harsh conditions against freedom, denying them the opportunity of education, good health, and happy childhood.

The practice takes many forms, but the most common include children working in households, small farms, and factories. For instance, children may work with large machines or break stones or work under harmful conditions

In some parts of the world, children are subjected to forced labour, where they are made to engage in hard physical activities without any pay. For instance, some work in mines, others in dangerous construction sites, while others work as low-wage earners without written contracts of stipulated work hours.

Illegal activities like theft and deception are also practiced by children. I know that this is a serious crime committed against kids across the world. It not only corrupts their lives now but also their destinies.

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How does forced labour affect children's lives?

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In my view, when children are forced to work, they have to work and tremendously harsh conditions, they live in fear of the unknown and sometimes the employers coerce them into working for them on guarantees of threats. Things they work have deadly and harmful effects, and most children have no idea of such hence fail to use any protective materials.

They are forced to lift heavy materials from an extremely young age, and in most cases, the children’s developing bodies are affected by the heavy loads. After their ordeal, children spend the entire night crying instead of sleeping from the trauma of the workplace. They have constant fear and develop various mental issues such as anxiety, and post-trauma disorders.

Children who are subjected to forced labour are also unable to get proper education. They work most of their day, and they cannot go to school. When it happens, children do not have a future and do low-skilled work with minimal income since childhood. Moreover, they lack proper socializing. They do not make friends and do not spend time playing with other kids. Since they lack socializing, they do not develop normal social skills and do not have fulfilling relationships with other people.

Similarly, it affects their health. Since children work in hard physical conditions, they fall ill. They also do not have proper nutrition, which influences their health and future development in the long run.

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What do you think are some good ways to put a stop to kids being forced to work?

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Child labour, and especially forced child labour, is a social evil that mocks children’s right and future. To eliminate it, we need to act on multiple levels, and one of the two tips will not be enough. However, I can suggest what associations I have on this subject:

• Maximizing education is also crucial. Every child has a right to learn, and education is a fundamental right for every child. The government can eradicate child labour by making education compulsory for children and promoting free education for all children.

• Enact strict laws against child labour, and the legal system should have a solid mechanism to enforce laws.

• Raise community awareness. Send nongovernmental organizations and social workers to villages and towns to inform people that child labour not only is a violation of the rule and but is also damaging to the child and the country itself.

• Often people send their children to work to earn money. By assisting such families and providing financial help, they can improve their condition, and also their children can go to school.

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Do you feel it's super important for kids to have the freedom to grow and chase their dreams? Why do you think that?

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Yes, absolutely, it is extremely important for children to have the freedom to grow and chase their dreams. Just imagine, how would you feel if you never got the opportunity to pursue your desired profession in life? For children, this is even more crucial because childhood lays the foundation for their entire life.

When children chase their dreams, they bring new ideas and creativity that propel our society forward. Freedom allows children to explore their full potential, which is beneficial for their mental and physical well-being.

We must know that every child deserves to be free, get educated, and have a happy life. When we decide to eliminate child labour, we are not only saving each child’s life but also designing our own future. All children’s hopes and desires are very crucial in their lives, and so they should be able to realize them.

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I trust that you found the information in my article to be valuable. 😊

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^{Author: @waqarahmadshah | Date: 15-Apr-2024 | Achievement 1}