Contemporary Connections

 

     Child labor is still prevalent in developing countries such as India, Vietnam and Bangladesh. The factory collapse in Rana Plaza, Bangledesh, in 2013, killed over a thousand people and injured countless others. The majority of these victims were teenage girls who worked 20-23 hours a day in horrible conditions for mere cents. Many of these victims are still struggling after the one year anniversary. Mossammat Rebecca Khatun, one of the survivors of the factory collapse spoke to a BBC reporter of how her life is like now. She lost her leg and five family members, including her mother. It's been a year, but her struggle continues as she can no longer work and has no ability to regain her motor skills. Other  victims are terrified of continuing work in the garment industry, but they have no other choice, as what else could they do to survive? As of 2012, about 168 million children are still subjected to child labor. Efforts have long begun to aid these children, but more work still needs to be done. Child labor may be abolished and regulated in the United States, but it is far from over in the worldwide view. Reforms have to be made, step by step, and efforts to change must continue until justice can prevail and child labor ultimately ends.