Tom Harkin: “Today, June 12, is the annual observance of the International Labor Organization's World Day Against Child Labor. This…”

“Today, June 12, is the annual observance of the International Labor Organization's World Day Against Child Labor. This is the day we set aside each year to speak out against the fact that millions of children around the globe continue to be trapped in forced and abusive labor, often in extremely hazardous conditions. For many years, I have been active in efforts to stop exploitative child labor as well as trafficking in child and female slaves around the world. In my travels, I have seen this scourge firsthand. I have come to the floor of the Senate many times to speak about this issue. I have spoken about how shocked I was to see the deplorable conditions under which these kids are forced to work. Many are physically, emotionally, and sexually abused. All of them, every child engaged in abusive child labor, is deprived of a childhood solely for someone else's gain. Why should we as a nation tolerate children being used in such a manner? We should not. It is a moral outrage and an affront to human dignity. When a child is exploited for the economic gains of others, not only does the child lose, but the family loses, and I think the whole world loses. It is bad economics, and it is bad development strategy. A nation cannot achieve prosperity on the backs of its children, and there must be no place in the global economy for child labor. This year, the World Day Against Child Labor specifically shines a spotlight on child laborers in agriculture.”