April 16 is celebrated the World Day Against Child Slavery. This day is commemorated because unfortunately there are still many minors in the world who are slaves, an estimated 400 million, from there 168 million work and 85 million of them do it in a dangerous way.
Behind this atrocity many times are the parents and other relatives who sell their son's body to pay debts or acquire money. Although it may not seem like it, there are countless people who condition the life of a minor for this purpose, among them are teachers or police and state authorities.
Why is the World Day Against Child Slavery celebrated?
This day is celebrated for honor the memory of Iqbal Masih, a Pakistani boy who dedicated part of his last years of life to fight for children's rights. Some Non-Governmental Organizations imposed this day to commemorate this day and take into account that you can still fight for these acts.
We must not forget that child slavery is not a thing of the past, but is still it is a real and current problem. We must continue to fight and commemorate the inappropriate trafficking that is done to these minors for their emotional freedom and for not being able to access an education in a school.
The life of Iqbal Masih
This event occurred in 1987 when Iqbal a 4 year old boy was sold by his father to a carpet factory in exchange for a loan she needed to pay to pay for her oldest son's wedding costs. The factory owner would get his money back in exchange for Iqbal working as long as necessary to pay the total debt.
I worked more than 12 hours every day making carpets, and it was like that for several years, but it was not enough to pay off the loans, since the interest they generated made the debt grow and would carry a fact that had no solution or solution.
Five years later Iqbal met Ehsan Khan, a fighter and great defender against child slavery, which led him to claim his rights, put aside fear and denounce his situation and that of many children who were in the same situation. It became an icon in front of a campaign of the Front for the Liberation of Forced Labor, to fight child slavery. Thanks to this, he managed to close numerous companies that exploited minors and that made him admit a lot of anger.
Unfortunately in 1995 when he was riding his bicycle he was shot and killed. All as a result of his great advocacy activism and the denunciations that he promulgated, since he annoyed many people who benefited from this cruel business.
How to commemorate this day against child slavery
Must echo something that is happening and that it is real. Many children in our society hear part of this reality and find it implausible. It is a terrible truth that affects many children and we must raise your voice to denounce this situation.
To demonstrate this fact it is important make use of social networks, get this message to many international companies and organizations so that they can focus on some kind of urgent solution.
Mine worker children
The NGO makes a dent in these types of activities with the screening of documentaries, photographic exhibitions, informative talks and gatherings with the media. It is emphasized that educational centers encourage some type of meeting or children's reading, or games related to children's rights and interculturality.
Because all children have the right to be children and the stage of childhood is the most passionate and wonderful of our lives, it is the answer to everything that shapes us as people in the future. You have to have that important respect and primordial to do not underestimate the helplessness and vulnerability of a minor, since it should be questioned and punished as a crime.