Essay
Gallery
Children's Issues
by Kanako Funo
In this essay I present my research on children's issues. I am interested in children's issues because these days they are treated in news programs. Especially, there are many affairs of children being abused and child labor in developing countries. I am going to cover two main points. I want to explore why there are many abused children and why children must work in developing countries. First I will show you the stress of parents, then I will cover the actual conditions in developing countries.
In any study of children's issues, it is important to know the background details.There are many children who are abused by their fathers or mothers or guardians and who must work to support their families because of poverty in the world.
What are the causes of children's issues? I think children's issues are caused by the stress of parents and poverty. The effects are big damage to children. For example, the death rate of children is increasing. These causes prevent children from acting as they like.
Why are there many abused children? I will show you the family's stress. I think that fathers and mothers abuse their children because of the stress of having to bring them up. Surely, most societies sanction the right of parents or guardians of children to discipline and punish children. These acts in and of themselves are understood to be carried out in the best interests of the child with a view to their education and sound upbringing as members of good functioning and peaceful societies. Child abuse, however, deviates from this understanding. Child abuse is the recent terminology for a tragic reality present in all societies everywhere. Such maltreatment has four basic and overlapping appearances, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and neglect. According to the Asahi newspaper, on May 29,(Bibliography of References 1) forty-two children were killed by their parents' abuse in 2003. Many fathers and mothers who abuse their children say they got tired from child raising. Most cases occur at weekends and holidays, that is to say, when adults are home. Young children are often resilient to physical injury but the psychological pain suffered can be a lifetime ordeal. Besides, the number of child abuse cases is increasing year after year, with the increase in the number of child abuse cases which have come to light over the past twenty years. In Japan, cases of child abuse by parents have been increasing rapidly, from 1,001 cases in 1990 to 1,961 cases in 1994 to 6,932 cases in 1998. If the number of cases reported to other governmental and non-governmental bodies is added, it is estimated that the total number of cases was at least 4,900. So the ministry of labor and Welfare plans to have 60 of the nation's 182 centers open 24 hours per day year-round. Furthermore local governments need to take opportunities to add staff trained in child issues and improve the level of expertise provided. I think that these movements will enable them to report suspected child abuse more easily.
I have shown the stress of parents, now I will cover the actual condition of developing countries. According to UNICEF article,(Bibliography of References 2) children below 12 years of age are working in any economic activities. They must work because of poverty, to make matters worse, in dangerous situations or conditions, such as working in mines, working with chemicals and pesticides in agriculture, or working with dangerous machinery. They work as domestic servants in homes, in workshops and factories, and in fields, forests and plantations. Severe labor causes them suffering from loss of eyesight, chronic back and neck pains, cuts on their fingers and even deformation of their fingers. For example, in India, they receive only one third of the present minimum wage of 63 Rupees a day. In developing countries people can't make their living unless not only adults but also children work. Children in developed countries can play and be educated, but in developing countries they can't. I think it is unreasonable.
In brief I have shown the stress of parents, on the actual condition of developing countries. The situation might improve if local experts such as health workers take the initiative to visit families, listening carefully to what they say, gaining the trust of parents or if they save children when they notice obvious changes in them. If industries of developing countries activate, the situation might improve. However the situation might deteriorate if they spoil parents' trust or fail in saving children, and people in developed countries don't cooperate to help counterparts in developing countries.
First, I think not only health workers but also all of us should take actions to save children, though it takes courage and effort to do so. It is because a child's life should take top priority. Second, we should be involved in volunteer work because developing countries run short of help. There are many children who can't live freely in the world. I want the day to come when all children in the world live happily. (885 words)
Bibliography of References
1, "We must save each child." Asahi Newspaper : 29 May 2004
<http://www.asahi.com/english/opinion/TKY200405290160.html>
2, "Child Labour" UNICEF article 3: October 2004
<http://www.unicef.org/protection/index_childlabour.html>
