The existence of child labor is an international source of shame. Every day, more than 200 million children (nearly one-seventh of the world's youth population), are forced to work long hours for little or no compensation, often placing themselves in grave physical danger in the process. They mine coal, cut bricks and harvest crops, exposing themselves to dangerous fumes and chemicals. They weave carpets, deforming their spines as they crouch over looms. They even make fireworks, risking explosions that can leave them disfigured or dead.

In addition to forcing them to grow up prematurely and exposing them to dangerous conditions, child labor denies children the only thing that can give them a future with hopes and dreams: an education. Eliminating child labor and improving access to education go hand in hand.

The AFT believes that every child in the world has the right to a high-quality, free, compulsory education. Such an education is not only a basic human right, but also a powerful tool. For instance, education is the most important resource for helping the poorest members of a society improve upon their socioeconomic position. Furthermore, democratic values cannot thrive in nations where tens of millions of people never learn to read. Ignorance and illiteracy destroy lives, undermine civic institutions, contribute to instability and threaten the well-being of every nation. Without education, there can be neither civility nor true peace.

This is why the AFT is an active member of the Child Labor Coalition. The Coalition, on which AFT Secretary-Treasurer Antonia Cortese serves as co-chair, is an international network for the exchange of information about child labor. It provides a forum and a unified voice on protecting working minors and ending child labor exploitation, both in the United States and abroad. As part of that mission, the Coalition develops informational and educational resources for both the public and private sectors to combat child labor abuses and promote progressive initiatives and legislation.

To learn more about why the AFT considers ending child labor to be a priority, please view our position paper, "Why should ending child labor be a priority?"