Did you ever think about those poor children suffering every day in some places around the world working all day? This is called child labor. The Democratic Republic of the Congo faces many challenges when it comes to child labor. One major challenge is safety. Why not let adults do the work? They are so much stronger and smarter. The percent of children working is 25.8% for children 5-14 years old! That is 4,692,293 children forced into work!

Because of child labor, many innocent children get injured. Some even get killed or made ill so that their health level would never go up again. At hazardous places, for example at a construction place, there are many sharp objects. Children can cut themselves and get a deep cut or wound. They also have to get to high places. Little children can easily fall off because their balance just isn’t there yet, unlike adults. But especially in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, young kids work in mines. This usually involves long hours of work using dangerous tools. They are also forced to break stones into gravel! All of this can cause extreme diseases and risk fatal death of the collapse of mines. Many children will also lack adequate shelter. Child labor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is dangerous because children can get seriously injured.

In addition, child labor can cause children to run away or commit suicide. Members of the Congolese National Army have recruited children into their armed groups. This scares most of the children a lot. Many times children had to skip meals and lose sleep. This causes stress and anger. They feel like life isn’t worth living and that they are better off dead. Research shows that children have attempted to jump out the windows of a building they might be working in. Or, they could just run away. An awful effect of child labor is children escaping and committing suicide.
Finally, child labor is unsafe because they are exposed to various forms of exploitation. The children living on the streets or domestic servants sell food and water, carry packages, unload buses, and distribute drugs and alcohol! Physical abuse, intimidation, and theft will happen because of this. Mistreatment and abuse of children will happen with the child labor happening in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In conclusion, child labor causes many challenges the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo will face. Many kids would get injured one way or another. Some kids will run away. Others will commit suicide. All children forced into child labor will be maltreated and harmed. Is this what we really want? I do not think so. We need to step it up and execute child labor. Otherwise, the Democratic Republic of Congo will counter even more challenges.