Child labour Writing activities

Activity one: Complete the dialogue

A:..............................................................................................................................................................................................?
B: yes, the idea of sweatshops makes me very angry.
A:...........................................................................................................................................................................................?
B: because There’s nothing good about them.
A:..........................................................................................................................................................................................?
B: Very young children have to work in horrible factories that are bad for their health.
A:.........................................................................................................................................................................................?
B: They eat and sleep at the factories.
A:.........................................................................................................................................................................................?
B: Their bosses make them work up to 16 hours a day and sometimes beat them.
A:.........................................................................................................................................................................................?
B: Not just children, poor people too.
A:.........................................................................................................................................................................................?
B: The factory owners get rich because of the near slave-labour conditions.
A:.........................................................................................................................................................................................?
B: The worst thing about sweatshops is that lots of multinational companies buy the clothes and shoes
made by the children.
A:.........................................................................................................................................................................................?
B: Companies like Gap and Nike have been in the news for exploiting children in sweatshops.
A:.........................................................................................................................................................................................?
B: I think these companies have a big responsibility to make sure their goods do not come from
sweatshops.

Activity two: fill in the gaps using the words

given/Promotes/equality/Set/Use/Reasons/Reduce/Prevent/Part/Conditions/Terrible/Raise/Work/Sold
/Consider/Stands/Slave/
One of the world’s most serious problems is the __________ of child labour. June 12 is the
World Day Against Child Labour. All around the world people will take __________ in activities to raise
awareness of the damage child labour does to children, families and societies. The day is also one on
which the world __________the human rights of children. The United Nations __________ out in its
Millennium Development Goals a number of targets to help
__________ child labour. By 2015, it hopes all children complete their primary education and that
there is __________ in education. To do this, governments must take steps to
__________ poverty and provide enough jobs for adults. These are the two main __________ why we
have child labour today. There are over 250 million children worldwide who __________ in some kind of
labour. Eighty percent of these, around 200 million, work in dangerous and hazardous __________. A
senior UNICEF spokesperson on child protection said: “Child labour is a widespread phenomenon all over
the world…When that work__________ between a child and his or her chances for education, or
affects his or her health, then we __________ this a violation of the rights of children.” There are
many __________ forms of child labour. These include working in dangerous mines deep below the
ground and being a __________ in the sex industry. Many children are sold by their parents to
__________ money. Many more are beaten and abused by cruel employers or __________by child
traffickers.

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 Activity three: Put the text in the correct order:

a) Michael Posner, executive director of Human Rights First, praised the report as “an important step
forward” but asked the important question: “What is Nike doing to change the picture and give
workers more rights?”

b) For many years, human rights groups have attacked Nike for the low pay and terrible working
conditions in these factories, and for the use of child labor. Now Nike wants to come clean with
this report and is trying to tell the truth.

c) Nike is finally making information available to the world about its sweatshops. It has put a detailed
108-page report on the Internet of its 705 worldwide factories.

d) It says that over half of its employees in Asia work more than sixty hours a week and have no day
off. Up to fifty per cent of workers cannot drink water or go to the toilet when they want. Further,
a quarter of workers receive less than the legal minimum wage, even though Nike makes huge
profits.

Activity four :join the pairs using the connector given

1) a- child labour means work that is done by children under the age of 15. (which)
b-the work restricts or damages a child‘s physical, emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual damage

2) a- In the normal lives of families with steady and adequate incomes, parents go to work every day
and children are left to play with friends and go to school.

b- 218 million child labourers the world over find themselves working long hours under harsh,
dangerous and exploitative conditions.(on the other hand)

3) a-children start work when they are young.

b-a parent dies or left home and the family desperately needs extra money. (Because)

4) a-children are driven into the world of work

b-they are very poor (because of)

5) a- parents rarely wish to expose their children to danger.

b- Parents have no alternative (however)

6) a-children are obliged to work instead of attending school

b-their families are poor (since)

7) a-children are forced to leave school(because)

b-their families cannot pay the basic costs of food and housing without their children earning
something as well

8) a-children urged to work

b-both parents’ incomes are insufficient to keep their family housed, clothed, fed.(as)

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9) a-employers prefer to employ children(consequently)

b- Children are more obedient and cheaper than adults

10) a-parents are divorced

b- Children are pressed to leave home when they are very young and start work (as a result)

11) a- Human crises and natural disasters leave people destitute.(therefore)

b-children are forced to work

12) a-the premature death of one parent or both parents results(due to)

b- Children take the responsibility of seeking an income to support themselves and their younger
brothers and sisters.

13) a-HIV/AIDS(owing to)

b-children often take on the role when their one surviving parents becomes seriously ill and is unable
to work

14) a- children work unpaid or get low wages for their work

b- Employers prefer to employ children (thus)

15) a-employers find children more obedient and easier to control

b-older workers are unlikely to initiate protests (however)

16) a-some dishonest people employ children

b-children have the nimble fingers which enable them to give special attention to details.(because)

17) a-In some countries anti-child labour laws are weak and ineffective

b-children are exposed to serious health and safety risks. (So........that)

18) a-children receive little or no school education

b-they miss out the knowledge that can create options for them later in life

19) a- children skip school(because)

b-they make less contribution as adults and are more exposed to exploitation and abuse.

20)a-The importance of education for society’s economic and social development is widely acknowledged

b-countries that have made explicit undertaking to send every child to school still have to do a great
deal to turn this commitment into reality.(although)

21) a-In some countries , parents still pay a fee for their children to attend a primary school, as well as
buying books and providing school uniform.(whereas)

b- For a poor family these are significant costs, alongside the lack of income for the household while
a child is at school.

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22)a-Children have a unique and vulnerable position(because of)

b-Children are denied the basic working rights and wages given to adults.

23)A-children are most employed in the informal and unregulated sectors of the global economy

b-children find themselves easy targets for abuse, threats and exploitation.(as a consequence)

24)A-Poor families need to keep as many family members working as possible.

b- Poor families want to insure income security and survival.(to)

25)A-educating a child for poor families can be a considerable financial burden.

b-children leave school and start working.(so)

26)a-some immoral employers hire children

b-these immoral employers can pay the children less money and children are less likely to complain
about the poor working conditions

27) a-It is very disturbing and heartbreaking to learn many children are obtained to looms for 12 hours
a day.

b-Families need to have their child bringing home a small amount of money.(because)

28)a-The problem of child labour has become an ever increasing concern among many nations.

b-children are being forced to work long hours in terrible conditions for little or no money. .
(because)

29)a- child labour is considered as one of the biggest issues around the world.

b-child labour puts children in danger, and it deprive them of an education(because)

30)a-social reformers began to condemn child labour practices

b- Child labour practices have ruinous effect on the health and welfare of children.(because of)

31) a-the youths are forced to work long hours under dangerous and unhealthy conditions

b-their wages are very small. (On the other hand)

32)a-children perform hazardous work

b-this work jeopardizes their lives, health and morals (that)

33)a-children are most employed in the informal and unregulated sectors of the economy

b-they find themselves easy targets for abuse, intimidation and exploitation.(as a result)

34)a-the vast majority of countries around the world have national laws regulating children’s work and
prohibiting exploitive and hazardous work
b-these laws are not effectively enforced (although)

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 Activity five: use the previous activities and following notes to write a paragraph about how to
combat child labour

 (a pervasive/ widespread /common) problem throughout the global economy

Child Is  (a difficult/ complicated/complex ) (Subject/topic/question) to address.

labour
 (a serious /grave/severe/terrifying/ (problem/ difficulty/ crisis/
dilemma/issue)
 immense/ tremendous/huge/ great/

enormous/grand/main/major/grand/

 one of the (biggest /greatest) issues around the world

Morally/ethically ( intolerable/unacceptable/wrong)

 an ever-(increasing /growing/rising) (concern/fear/worry/trouble/burden)

among many nations

 a contentious/ controversial issue

The causes of child labour: Poverty/Family size/ Family breakdown/a parent dies because of
HIV/AIDS/The children are demanded at work because they are Cheap and obedient/children have
“Nimble fingers”/Inadequate laws/ Immoral employers/ family expectations and traditions/abuse of the
child/lack of good schools and day care/lack of other services, such as health care/public opinion that
downplays the risk of early work for children/uncaring attitudes of employers/limited choices for
women

 Child labour can best be combated through:

Better access to education/ Social awareness and activism / the rehabilitation of child
labourers/Putting the right laws and policies into place/ preventing children from leaving school and
entering the labour market prematurely./ Legislation and proper enforcement child labour laws /In turn,
governments need to devote resources to education /Say no to work that is harmful and degrading to
you../ Speak with your friends and people in your community about the causes of child labour and what
can be done about it. Form a group and unite against the problem./ Volunteer your time with
organizations working to protect children. /Participate in campaigns• Write to companies that use child
labour and demand that they stop. / Ask your government to ratify and implement the Convention on the
Worst Forms of Child Labour./• Pledge to continue your efforts until every child enjoys the right to a
childhood. /Reducing poverty so there is less need for children to work. /Increasing adults' wages so
there is less need for children to work. / Improving working conditions so that children's health and
safety are ensured. / Reducing children's working hours so they can attend school. / Banning hazardous
and exploitative work, military conscription, mining and all work that exposes children to toxic
substances or extreme temperatures. /Making education more attractive and relevant to children's
needs.