DEVELOPMENT REPORT - World Day Against Child Labor

DEVELOPMENT REPORT – July 8, 2002: World Day Against Child Labor¹

By Jill Moss²

This is the VOA Special English Development Report.

The United Nations International Labor Organization has launched a yearly event to help end child labor around
the world. The first “World Day Against Child Labor” was held on June twelfth. There were special
ceremonies, worker training programs, media events and public activities around the world.

The I-L-O organized the day to help spread the message that child labor remains³ an international problem.
Officials plan to hold the event every year to increase support for an international campaign against child labor.

Almost two-hundred-fifty-million children between the ages of five and seventeen are forced to work. That
represents one of every six children around the world. Seventy-five percent of them are doing dangerous jobs.

The I-L-O is working with governments to end the worst forms of child labor. These
include slavery, the illegal drug trade, the sex trade, armed conflicts and other
dangerous jobs. These forms of child labor threaten children’s physical and mental
health. The I-L-O says the worst forms of child labor are found everywhere in the
world. Both boys and girls are equally at risk. Most child laborers⁴ are forced to work
in farming areas in parts of Asia and Africa. They spend many hours in extreme
heat. They may be affected⁵ by dangerous chemicals used to kill insects. And they
suffer high rates of injury.

There are many reasons for child labor. They include political conflict, poverty and
economic problems. For example, officials say many family businesses use children
when they cannot pay adult workers. Illegal child labor continues because of a lack of law enforcement.

The I-L-O says that any effort to end child labor requires direct action at the local, national and international
levels. Officials believe it is possible to end the worst forms of child labor in twelve to fifteen years. However,
before this can happen, countries must decide to act on this problem. The first step is for governments to accept
special programs with time limits to reduce and finally end child labor.

The International Labor Organization has provided countries with training, legislation⁶ and ways to enforce laws
banning child labor. Officials believe improvements are beginning in some countries.

This VOA Special English Development Report was written by Jill Moss.

In Benin, a shelter for
children taken from
traffickers.
(VOA photo - Luis Ramirez)
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1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

3 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 laborers   

n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工

参考例句：

• Laborers were trained to handle 50-ton compactors and giant cranes. 工人们接受操作五十吨压土机和巨型起重机的训练。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Wage-labour rests exclusively on competition between the laborers. 雇佣劳动完全是建立在工人的自相竞争之上的。 来自英汉非文学 - 共产党宣言

5 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

6 legislation   

n.立法，法律的制定；法规，法律

参考例句：

• They began to draft legislation.他们开始起草法规。
• The liberals band together against the new legislation.自由党员联合一致反对新的立法。