Child labour has long been something that has concerned world leaders and community groups. Child workers, some as young as 9, have been found working in factories in conditions described as being close to slavery. They are contracted to produce clothes that appear destined for popular western clothing stores because their wages are so low.
Some children who have been forced to work in these conditions have told reporters that they have to work up to 18 hours a day and are regularly threatened with beatings.
Certain countries have been targeted by the United Nations as being hotspots for child labor. One such country is India, where children have been discovered working in appalling conditions. It is estimated that around 20 per cent of India's gross domestic product is the result of child labor and that around 55 million Indian children under the age of 14 are working.
It is clear that more needs to be done to ensure that countries around the world are protecting the welfare of their youngest citizens. In addition, first world countries and companies that buy products produced as a result of child labor need to be made more accountable for their actions and ask themselves if cheaper prices are worth the suffering of so many children around the world.