Children who are exploited
Many children in the developing world are vulnerable to exploitation because they need to work to support their families or because good schooling is not available. Many children even leave their families and migrate to find work.
Work is still an important part of millions of children’s lives. But no child should be forced to do work that is dangerous or exploitative, like becoming a child soldier or a prostitute, or working with toxic chemicals. And no child should be trafficked or exploited by adults for financial gain.
Sex for a packet of biscuits
In Zimbabwe, economic collapse has put thousands of children at risk. “In Harare, there is a very high level of sex work - sex for a packet of biscuits,” Rachel Pounds, our Country Director told the BBC. “For some girls, it’s the only way of making money.”
Rosham, 14, was trafficked to Haryana state, 1000 km from his home. He worked as a child labourer stitching, polishing and filling heavy sacks. They didn't pay him and fed him only enough to survive. He was reunited with his family after his village child protection committee put pressure on the traffickers to return him.
Watch our film on child trafficking in India and hear Rosham’s story:
Fair pay and working conditions
In Bangladesh we’ve helped nearly 10,000 children enjoy better working conditions. We helped introduce a code of conduct with employers in an industrial zone, so that children now get regular wages, a break in the working day and days off.
We also tackle the reasons that force children to work in the first place. Our programmes provide cash support to poor families that they can invest to help them make a living, as well as using it to provide basic needs like healthcare and education for their children.