Vietnam. Tran Quoc Dung for the ILO/Flickr. Creative Commons.
Child labour can mean exploitation, long hours, harsh conditions, and little chance to develop. However, much work done by children—even some work classified as “child labour”—is not harmful and can contribute to their development.
Children instinctively imitate the activities of those around them, including paid or unpaid work that is performed in the family and community. In this manner they acquire competence and confidence, learn cultural behaviour and values, and establish their positions in their families and communities as members with both responsibilities and rights.
