Southeast Asia
It has been almost a year or so since the
economic crisis began in Asia. It cost millions of jobs, stunted the economic
productivity, caused instability in Asian markets, and halted progress in the eradication
of poverty. This crisis wasn't the cause of poverty; it just made matters worse.
Malnutrition is one of the underestimated realities of poverty. It comes
with many faces: protein-energy malnutrition, iodine deficiency disorders, and vitamin A
and iron deficiencies. This is caused by a number of factors, namely, insufficient access
to food, poor or no health services, lack of safe water and sanitation, and inadequate
maternal and childcare.
Malnutrion robs the mental and physical potentials in children. A
malnourished mother with iodine deficiency can cause varying degrees of mental retardation
on her child. Among infants and young children, iron deficiency anemia delays psychomotor
development, impairs cognitive development, and lowers IQs by as much 9 points. This shows
that the effects of malnutrition is passed on hereditarily.
Because of the need to
support a poverty-stricken family, children are forced to help their parents earn money.
Since child labor is cheap, it has been a common practice among unscrupulous employers to
get kids to do the work. Their workplaces count mines, sweatshops, streets and factories.
"8-5" working hours are unheard of, since most of them work around 12-16 hours a
day.
Child labor employment goes as young as 7 and above. In extreme cases, a
carpet factory employs children as young as 5 years old, and makes them work from six in
the morning until seven at night, and pays them less than 20 cents. In a garment factory,
nine-year-olds were made to sew for three days with only two one-hour breaks. Some are
pimped into prostitution, even by their own parents. In Cambodia alone, 20,000 children
are lured into the industry. More than half of those who are in the sex trade were forced
into labor. Surprisingly, 86% said they were deceived by people who promised them jobs in
factories. Unfortunately, the truth landed them jobs in whorehouses instead.
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