---
title: "How did low wages contribute to the rise in child labor?"  
description: "How did low wages contribute to the rise in child labor?"  
author: "Gray  park"  
published: 2018-10-28  
canonical: https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/51431/how-did-low-wages-contribute-to-the-rise-in-child-labor  
category: "history, politics & society"  
tags: ["usa history"]  
reading_time: 2 minutes  

---

# How did low wages contribute to the rise in child labor?

How did low wages [contribute](https://www.mindstick.com/news/2332/japan-will-contribute-500-million-to-the-startup-rapidus-for-manufacturing-processors) to the rise in child labor?\
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## Answers

### Answer by Sarda Kumari

## An overview - Child labor

**Child labor**, in simple terms, **means the exploitation of children through any form of work** that d**eprives children of living their childhood** and **interferes with their ability to attend regular school**. It is **even mentally, physically, socially, and morally harmful in the most severe cases.**

Such exploitation is **prohibited by legislation worldwide**, although these l**aws do not consider** all work by children as child labor; **exceptions include work by child artists, family duties, supervised training,** and some forms of child work.

![How did low wages contribute to the rise in child labor?](https://answers.mindstick.com/questionanswer/93af6049-0c1e-4f71-a3cf-e710f4e2b13a/images/02fe5d12-4f85-410d-a86f-990a168746ce.jpeg) **\**

**Also read: [Which country hosted the 4th Global Conference on Sustained Eradication of Child Labor?](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/30945/which-country-hosted-the-4th-global-conference-on-sustained-eradication-of-child-labour)**

## Child labor: Reports and causes

**1.** **Around One-fourth of children in emerging countries are subjected to child labor**. The highest number of Child laborers (**29 percent)are in sub-Saharan Africa.** In 2017, **four African countries, namely, Mali, Benin, Chad, and Guinea-Bissau** witnessed over 50 percent of children **aged 5–14 engaged** in child labor.

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**2. The majority of child labor is found in the rural and informal urban economies**; children are predominantly made to work by their parents rather than in factories. **The agricultural sector is estimated to be the largest employer of child labor.** Poverty and lack of good quality education in schools are considered the primary cause of child labor.

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**3. According to World Bank reports, child labor incidences have decreased from 25% to 10% between 1960 and 2003.** However, The total number of child laborers remains high. UNICEF and ILO admitted an estimated 168 million children **aged 5–17 worldwide were involved in child labor in 2013.**

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**4. Low wages are one of the critical factors in the rise of child labor**. Since low wages force the family or parents to involve more people in work to increase the total income, they end up involving their children in child labor.

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**Also read: [What is the theme of the 2019 International Labours day?](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/52070/what-is-the-theme-of-the-2019-international-labour-day)**


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