The small hands of slavery:Modern day child slavery

Save the Children highlights eight forms of child slavery: child trafficking, child prostitution, bonded child labour, forced work in mines, agricultural labour, child soldiers, forced child marriage and domestic slavery. Available figures suggest that 1.8 million children are being abused in the sex industry across the world and that one million children are risking their lives in mines and quarries in more than 50 African, Asian and South American countries.The report further states that about 132 million children under the age of 15 are working in agriculture, often exposed to pesticides, heavy machinery, machetes and axes. There are 300,000 children involved with fighting forces, including government armies, and the report adds that child marriage – including mail order and internet brides – is one of the most widespread forms of slavery. The report concludes with a set of recommendataions for action to combat the enslaving of children.