| Cotton is a widely used material and must of us are | | | | work under very dangerous and unhealthy conditions. |
| depending on cotton production in order to put | | | | Child labour is closely connected with poverty, and |
| clothes in our closets. But have you ever thought | | | | poor families that cannot afford to pay school fees |
| where it comes from and how it is produced? The | | | | and depend on an extra income, they send their |
| fact it that over two-thirds of the world's cotton | | | | children to work instead of going to school. In families |
| production take place in developing countries and the | | | | that can only afford to send one child to school, they |
| former Soviet Union. Unfortunately, there are many | | | | most often prioritize sending a boy to school and let |
| regrettable incidents taking place in the cotton fields. | | | | the girl go out to work instead. ILO is working to |
| Child labour, human rights violations, massive | | | | eliminate any kind of child labour, which is harmful to |
| environmental pollution and a major threat to human | | | | children and prevents them from attending school. |
| health, just to mention a few. | | | | ILO claims that children should not work before their |
| Unfortunately, there are often slave-like conditions in | | | | compulsory schooling is completed, and that all |
| conventional cotton fields. In India, children can work | | | | children, regardless of gender, have the right to |
| up to 13 hours per day for at very modest pay or | | | | schooling and should have access to education. |
| no pay at all. In West Africa, children are first traded | | | | The only way to avoid supporting child labour is to |
| and then forced into the fields. In Uzbekistan, which | | | | buy products that are produced more in a more |
| is one of the largest cotton producers in the world, | | | | sustainable way. When it comes to cotton, this |
| thousands of children as young as seven years old, | | | | means to by certified cotton products. The |
| work in the cotton fields to pick and collect the | | | | production of organic cotton and Fair Trade cotton is |
| annual harvest. Many schools close down completely | | | | subject to control of the working conditions in the |
| during harvest season, as children are forced into the | | | | cotton farms. There is still no form of control and |
| fields rather that going to school. | | | | tracking when it comes to conventionally grown |
| Conventional cotton requires a large amount of | | | | cotton. Even in the poorest countries, this is not a |
| pesticides that have a major effect on the | | | | guarantee that there are no children in the fields, but |
| environment and the people working in the cotton | | | | by buying Fair Trade cotton, you at least support |
| fields. Contact with these harmful chemicals is | | | | that there are fixed regulations regarding working |
| especially dangerous to children because their internal | | | | hours, working conditions, as well as some social |
| organs are not yet fully developed, and therefore | | | | issues such as health care and schooling. It is |
| they are at risk of being effected by the chemicals, | | | | extremely important that we, as consumers, make |
| which can lead to limited growth and malformations. | | | | demands when we buy products. So next time you |
| The International Labour Organization, ILO, has | | | | need to renew your wardrobe, think about buying |
| estimated that about 165 million children between 5 | | | | Fair Trade cotton. This way you have made a |
| and 14 years are involved in child labour. Most of | | | | contribution to a more sustainable development in the |
| these children work very long hours, and they often | | | | global perspective. |