After a century, states are loosening child labor laws. Where’s the outrage? – Kansas Reflector

Report: Child Labor and the Shadow Army of Workers

Jacob Riis and the Expose of Living Conditions

1. In 1902, Jacob Riis, a Danish-American muckraker, gave a lecture in Emporia, Kansas.
2. Riis was known for his book “How the Other Half Lives,” which exposed the living conditions of the poor in New York City.
3. During his lecture, Riis shared the story of Tony, an orphaned immigrant boy living on the streets, using narrative and magic lantern slides.
4. Riis aimed to bring awareness to the hardships faced by the working poor and immigrants, particularly children.

Lewis Hine and the Documentation of Child Labor

1. In the early 1900s, photographer Lewis Hine captured images of young children working in factories and cotton mills, including in the American South.
2. Hine used documentary photography as a tool for social reform, working for the National Child Labor Committee.
3. His photographs shed light on the dangerous and exploitative conditions faced by child workers.

Upton Sinclair and “The Jungle”

1. Upton Sinclair, a writer, documented the conditions in the Chicago meatpacking industry through his novel “The Jungle.”
2. Sinclair spent seven weeks undercover gathering material for his book, which was published in 1906.
3. The novel aimed to expose labor reforms, particularly for child workers.
4. “The Jungle” led to public outcry and the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906.

Continued Exploitation and Recent Cases

1. Despite progress, child labor still exists, with many underage workers being immigrants.
2. In 2021, a cleaning company was fined $1.5 million for employing children illegally at meatpacking plants in eight states.
3. These children were exposed to dangerous conditions and equipment.

Current Child Labor Laws and Loosening Regulations

1. Kansas implemented its first child labor law in 1905, prohibiting those under 14 from working in certain industries.
2. However, child labor violations continue to occur, as seen in the case of Sonic locations in Kansas.
3. Some states, like Arkansas and Iowa, have recently loosened child labor laws, potentially leading to abuses.

The Importance of Protecting Children from Exploitation

1. Child labor not only has physical and mental tolls on children but also hinders their education and development.
2. Business profits should not take precedence over the well-being of children.
3. It is crucial to hold the line on child labor and protect the rights of young workers.

Max McCoy is an award-winning author and journalist.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDGs Addressed or Connected to the Issues Highlighted in the Article:

1. SDG 1: No Poverty
2. SDG 4: Quality Education
3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
4. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
5. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Specific Targets Based on the Article’s Content:

• Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women, and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.
• Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship.
• Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor.
• Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies.
• Target 12.3: By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.

Indicators Mentioned or Implied in the Article:

• Indicator 1.2.2: Proportion of men, women, and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.
• Indicator 4.4.1: Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill.
• Indicator 8.7.1: Number of victims of forced labor per 1,000 persons in the population, by sex, age group, and form of exploitation.
• Indicator 10.7.1: Recruitment cost borne by employee as a proportion of monthly income earned in country of destination.
• Indicator 12.3.1: Food loss index.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: kansasreflector.com

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