Child labour refers to the employment of children in any work that deprives children of their

childhood, interferes with their ability to attend regular school, and that is mentally, physically,
socially or morally dangerous and harmful.[3] This practice is considered exploitative by
many international organisations. Legislation across the world prohibit child labour. [4][5] These laws do
not consider all work by children as child labour; exceptions include work by child artists, family
duties, supervised training, certain categories of work such as those by Amish children, some forms
of child work common among indigenous American children, and others.[6][7][8]
Child labour has existed to varying extents, through most of history. During the 19th and early 20th
centuries, many children aged 514 from poorer families still worked in Europe, the United States
and various colonies of European powers. These children mainly worked in agriculture, home-based
assembly operations, factories, mining and in services such as news boys. Some worked night shifts
lasting 12 hours. With the rise of household income, availability of schools and passage of child
labour laws, the incidence rates of child labour fell. [9][10][11]
In developing countries, with high poverty and poor schooling opportunities, child labour is still
prevalent. In 2010, sub-saharan Africa had the highest incidence rates of child labour, with several
African nations witnessing over 50 percent of children aged 514 working. [12] Worldwide agriculture is
the largest employer of child labour.[13] Vast majority of child labour is found in rural settings and
informal urban economy; children are predominantly employed by their parents, rather than
factories.[14] Poverty and lack of schools are considered as the primary cause of child labour. [15]
Globally the incidence of child labour decreased from 25% to 10% between 1960 and 2003,
according to the World Bank.[16]Nevertheless, the total number of child labourers remains high,
with UNICEF and ILO acknowledging an estimated 168 million children aged 517 worldwide, were
involved in child labour in 2013. [17]
Child labour forms an intrinsic part of pre-industrial economies. [18][19] In pre-industrial societies, there is
rarely a concept of childhood in the modern sense. Children often begin to actively participate
activities such as child rearing, hunting and farming as soon as they are competent. In many
societies, children as young as 13 are seen as adults and engage in the same activities as adults. [19]
The work of children was important in pre-industrial societies, as children needed to provide their
labour for their survival and that of their group. Pre-industrial societies were characterised by low
productivity and short life expectancy, preventing children from participating in productive work would
be more harmful to their welfare and that of their group in the long run. In pre-industrial societies,
there was little need for children to attend school. This is especially the case in non literate societies.
Most pre-industrial skill and knowledge were amenable to being passed down through direct
mentoring or apprenticing by competent adults.