Globalization and the child labor problem

Globalization has many implications for children's lives, their involvement in work, and the ways in which we think about these issues. This paper considers in turn the implications of globalization of lifestyles, of adult ideas about childhood, of enforcement of standards, and of ideas about children's rights. It notes the growing divergence between views deriving from conceptions of children's rights and orthodox policies and campaigns on the child labor issue, and the need to look for common ground. The overriding aim should be to combat the exploitation of children, rather than to exclude them from the labour market.