WHY DO GOOD 1

Why Do Good

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Why Do Good

The number of children exposed to a child or forced labor continues to increase every

year. According to UNICEF data on child labor, over 160 million children were revealed at the

start of 2020, with another 9 million in danger of the same acts, mainly due to the negative

impacts of a covid-19 pandemic. Roughly 1 in every 10 children is at risk of child labor, with

almost half of these being exposed to hazardous conditions that threaten their moral or health

development. With over 72.1 million exposed to child labor as of 2021, ILO global labor

estimates Africa as the leading region for child laborers. Based on Thoma et al. (2021), the

exposure of children to these conditions could partly be blamed on lax labor laws in many

countries around the world, as well as limited education opportunities. However, disclosing

children to forced labor and their exploitation poses various dangers in their personal and

economic growth. Therefore, this essay aims to demonstrate the understanding of Kantian

utilitarianism and ethics in exploring the ethical considerations of allowed forced child labor in

Africa.

Despite many African countries having laws on children's education where every child

has the right to education, supporters of forced child labor have often argued the impossibility of

preventing children from working if their families are adversely stricken with poverty and might

starve if they do not secure employment. However, this is a good reason why they should be

exposed to such adverse conditions. Despite the huge financial deficit and educational burdens

for the parents, it is morally unacceptable to take children out of school where they have an

opportunity to grow and develop physically and morally and make them participate in adult

duties.
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Many companies are constantly looking for cheap and unskilled labor, particularly in the

African continent. However, this behavior is not morally right or ethical for children who are

forced to accept low wages for such a job for various reasons, including (1) they receive little or

no financial support from their families to meet their basic needs. While applying the principle of

utilitarianism by Kant, these behaviors are morally acceptable as children are the victim,

generating benefits for the organization while also helping their families meet their financial

needs. Either, the application of Kant's first law of universality means that for every child to

focus solely on their education and refusal to take such employment may risk their families

starvation since the family cannot support themselves and their financial chances diminish when

the children are not working. Therefore, children's refusal to participate in forced labor can also

be considered morally incorrect since children are an essential part of their families who

contribute to overall stability.

On the other hand, preventing child labor is also morally upright, mainly when children

are exploited based on low wages. At the same time, they take part in the same work

responsibilities as adults and should receive the same treatment as others (2). According to the

Kantian second formula of categorical imperatives, all children are worthy of respect and

demand the same dignity as adults, which is why they should not be mistreated during the pay

while they are maximized for the company benefits. Despite their willingness to work for the

company, it is the company's responsibility to train them and impart essential skills that will be

gainful for them at employment. Therefore, sending them back to school to acquire various skills

and equip them for future jobs in their company would open them better job opportunities and

lower the demands of unskilled labor in society.

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In retrospect, many companies continue to act in a socially acceptable manner by creating

constant awareness about the dangers of children's exposure to forced labor while also

supporting various social programs keeping children out of hunger and in school (3). For

example, a Coca-Cola social media initiative, #endchildlabour2021, has spearheaded and taught

various steps to end child labor. The ultimate goal is to stop children from being exploited and

learning to become skilled laborers in multiple sectors. Therefore, the social programs will

support both the children and their families to stabilize and avert hunger while equipping them

with the necessary skills for future employment.

Overall, ending child labor is an elusive goal of any government today. However, many

precipitating factors would lead children to participate in such acts. However, with various

companies stepping in to help prevent forced labor through corporate social responsibilities

(CSR) programs, it is evident that the future is bright for the African continent in ending child

labor.
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References

International Labour Organization (2021). Regions and Countries. Retrieved from:

https://www.ilo.org/ipec/Regionsandcountries/lang--en/index.htm

Thoma, M. V., Bernays, F., Eising, C. M., Pfluger, V., & Rohner, S. L. (2021). Health, stress,

and well-being in Swiss adult survivors of child welfare practices and child labor:

Investigating the mediating role of socio-economic factors. Child Abuse & Neglect, 111,

104769.

UNICEF (2021). Child Protection. Retrieved from: https://www.unicef.org/protection/child-

labour#:~:text=Roughly%20160%20million%20children%20were,their%20health

%20and%20moral%20development.