“Panorama Shymkenta”, 26/01/2007
E. Berdigalieva.

   W. Leo Tolstoy is a remarkable story. A man, who in the war against the people was on the side of power, a crowd of people leads him to death. They saw on the way to the square remains of the corpses of dead troops, and yelling, and calling for the immediate executions of prisoners. Suddenly from the crowd there was the voice of a crying child. The crowd realized it was the son of a detainee. There is a touching scene of the meeting, when people listen to the latest request prisoners and leading the child from the area to protect against the upcoming execution. Prisoner humbly awaited his fate...
   And here the child’s spirit spilled over before the cruel, merciless and hateful people, which forced them to change and show mercy. They released their detainee. So it is this that eloquently expresses the essence of the short story author, giving it the title “The power of childhood”.

   Yes, children are the most valuable human resource and require very delicate attention. Among Russians, the low birth rate of children has led to a global demographic problem, threatening the future of the nation. To stimulate the birth rate, they are forced to make extraordinary financial and other measures. But at the same time, in our seemingly prosperous Kazakhstan, the horrible phenomenon of child labor, the worst forms, is taking place. Children are trafficked, used in prostitution of minors, etc… Often homeless and street children from migrant families, refugees, socially vulnerable groups are used to carry out the worst jobs. They are often involved in criminal activity. Official statistics are not explicit in such details, but they can be seen in our daily lives...

   Balzhan K. is a student at one of Shymkent schools. She can be seen in a shop owned by their family. She often works for her mother and older sister. When she has to work at night, she cannot help but wonder when she will manage to prepare for the upcoming final examinations because school is such a load.
   My mom’s friend, Aigul Moscow, with a shudder remembers being forced to work. During the holidays she worked in a cafe, and she knows how hard it was especially at night. And during the day, when they promote “Procter & Gamble” products with other girls at apartments and houses, they are not at low risk. They can meet all kinds of people, like drug addicts and drunkards.
   I remember our raids on the streets, like Kurnakov near the private baths, a popular place for sex workers where young adolescent girls are often found.
   Each of us, when visiting the city markets, see working children. They push wheelbarrows full of goods, are behind the counter, selling newspapers... In rural areas, children plant gardens, clean, look for domestic cattle, are involved in seasonal work on the planting and harvesting of agricultural products, to the detriment of their education.
   We must first discuss that there is a time when such issues should go to court. Secondly, when we are in a peaceful and prosperous time we cannot take children's right to childhood, to education, to rest and leisure, to be protected from all forms of violence and exploitation. And thirdly, it is necessary to clarify that there is child labor that is educational and that which constitutes “the worst forms of child labor”.
   Making children and adolescents work, does not only affect their health and development, but also hinders their education. There may be childcare at home or in a family, earning pocket money during the holidays, during the day (means and methods that do not cause damage to physical or mental health, not connected with unlawful activities, the risk to life and health, morals standing). But other forms, the worst forms of child labor, are defined as types of activities where children are weaned off of school (and, incidentally, we have a system requiring the attendance of children at school), when they are forced to prematurely end their studies or combine school with heavy, prolonged labor.

   How can you distinguish different forms of child labor? How can you eradicate this phenomenon? What laws protect the legal interests of children? These and other questions were addressed at the seminar “Child labor and the exploitation of children - the problems and legal issues” with representatives from three areas of the city. The seminar was organized and conducted by program coordinators from the Legal Center for Women’s Initiatives “Sana Sezim” and the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of South Kazakhstan: S. Yusupzhanova, E. Enikeeva, and G. Bekenova. For the given situations, the seminar discussed possible solutions.
   For example, how to deal with a child from socially vulnerable families being forced to support a sick mother or father? Legally, the son should be released from the parents. This child works in computer clubs, where he has to wait until late players finish. This teenager has already saved money to buy his own computer also.
   Before the inspector could subjectively justify such a situation a seminar was held on situations they believe are not acceptable. If the extra work takes time that should be reserved for school hours and vacation, it is to the detriment of his health and intellectual development. It is no longer justified for the teenager to work on computers. The elimination and prohibition of negative and the worst forms of child labor are stipulated by numerous international instruments ratified by Kazakhstan. The International Labor Organization Convention Number 182 “About the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor”, ILO Recommendation Number 190, the ILO Convention Number 138 “About the Minimum Age for Admission to Employment”. In accordance with article 4 of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, ratified international treaties have precedence over domestic law of Kazakhstan.

   While it is important to adopt legislative measures, the desired result is not possible without taking practical measures.
   One measure could be adapted to the above situation: if the child has to work to support a family the state should take necessary measures to ensure the grants and financial support for children and families experiencing the most acute need. This is a task for social services and schools. It is also a necessary measure for the rehabilitation of such children; assist them in continuing their education.
   Of course economic disparities between people in society, the very strong separation between the rich and the poor, has resulted in the increasing number of members of “poor” families that are forced to find ways to “collect” money. Unfortunately, not infrequently involved in this process children must work. It is therefore important that there is a positive role of family in education and supporting children. In the south, there are very specific reasons for adults push child labor. For example, the erroneous belief that girls are less in need of education than boys. Many believe that their destiny is to marry well and take care of the family home. Because of this, girls are taken out of school at an early age and are forced to do housework or purposefully prepared for marriage, teaching first home affairs and concerns. This is contrary to existing law that no small child should be without basic education. To curb this phenomenon is necessary to inform society about the problems of child labor and to mobilize public support to combat the worst forms of child labor.
   At the conclusion of the seminar, participants argued their findings on why eliminate the worst forms of child labor is relevant right now. There were a variety of answers: it is a matter of saving lives and it is preventing dangerous forms of organized crime (trafficking in children, using them in the trafficking of drugs, sex and other types of criminal activity). The most important finding, which the workshop participants decided was that the involvement of children in the work, which destroys their self-esteem, adversely affects the health, morals, and deprives them of access to education, seriously undermines the economic vitality of society and long-term prospects of its development. Tolerance for the exploitation of child labor does not allow for investment in human capital.
   Do you think the Russians wasted time worrying about their future?