Socio-Legal Analysis of the Phenomenon of Child Labor

Abstract

This research paper aims to provide both a sociological and legal analysis of the phenomenon of child labor, which is considered an old phenomenon in terms of its origins but a contemporary one in terms of the attention it receives. It is an issue that warrants concern and study because it concerns a significant social group in shaping the future of nations, namely children. This phenomenon has come to threaten children’s health, education, and social well-being, thereby posing a danger to both the present and future of societies. Child labor has become a concern for the international community due to its negative consequences for children and society in general, particularly various forms of exploitation. It has also prompted efforts to develop mechanisms aimed at mitigating its severity or eliminating it altogether, whether through the enactment of domestic laws regulating this form of labor or through the ratification of international conventions that oblige states to implement relevant provisions. Such efforts seek to transform child labor from an informal practice into a formally regulated one.