23
Farer children and premature death
It is issue No. 23 of social and economic rights series that LCHR issue. The report addresses problems of child labor in the agrarian sector by monitoring some accidents through which many children, who work with agriculture, face during 2001. it is divided into parts as following:
Initiative chapter: it reviews the relation between this problem and its local and international dimensions “socially and economicly” in order to assert that the partial view for the problem without addressing its different dimensions, won’t lead to its solution.
The first chapter: it reviews the legal structure that regulates child labor in order to reveal that improving the legal structure isn’t enough for eliminating this phenomenon. Moreover, it reviews the international legalization and conventions that protect child rights beside, the development of the Egyptian legalization concerning labor since law No. 14 of 1909, which regulates child labor in mines till law No. 137 of 1981 in addition to reviewing the implementation of these conventions in the reality and the main obstacles that restrict applying the different laws. It discusses the role of labor inspectors towards phenomenon growth in addition to the role of the political forces and activists towards these challenges. Finally, it emphasizes on the necessity to remove the wide gap between the law and the reality in addition to activating these laws and monitoring its implementation to guarantee removing the gap.
The second chapter “reading in files of dead farer children in 2001”: it monitors road accident throughout 2001 concerning child labor in the agrarian sector in different governarates that led to death of tens of children by sinking in canal, work accidents, road accidents, etc. for example, in Damayta village, Gharbia governarate, more than ten children are poisoned while their work in crop dusting for cotton field. It monitors children accident in Izba El-Saed Afandi, Fayum governarate, when four children died and other thirty ones injured because of falling the tractor that was crowded with children into the canal. In Alkam village, Fayum governarate, about 12 child died and other 15 injured after the car that they rode sank while its crossing Alkam ferry.
The third chapter “repeated review for repeated accident”: we choose Izba Abees (village of death) that witnessed death of 11 children and injury of other 14 while their return from work riding the car, whose driver drove the car rashly. This part reviews the crime details and the sufferings and grieves of the children families. This part is considered as a trial to document the sorrow and impotence of victims’ families, which form great obstacle in front of building better future for our country.
The final chapter “final remarks”: it tries to find solutions for these problems that LCHR provides some recommendations that contribute in stopping blood bleeding and children accidents. For example:
§ Preparing database concerning child labor in order to be informed about the size of the phenomenon in both the urban and rural areas.
§ Activating the legalization and laws that protect children from working in dangerous activities.
§ Supporting the entities that monitor implementation of child law like ministry of labor force in order to assist them to achieve their duties perfectly.
§ Filing health license for children since their birth that follow their health conditions whether they are students or children laborers.
§ Improving and constructing pavement roads between villages especially run ways and wooden bridges over the Nile, in addition to regular maintenance and monitoring.
§ Serving quick ambulances that are provided with medical tools and equipments in rural areas.
§ Providing rural hospitals and clinics with needed medical tools and equiptments in order to achieve the best protection for injured.
§ Constant monitoring of cars and tractors in the countryside, in addition to monitoring the drivers and their licences.
§ Paying damages for families of dead not less than 20 thousands pounds and 10 thousands pounds for families of the injured by the state or employers.
§ Speeding up cases of damages in courts in order to ease having rights.
§ Widening the investigations to involve employers, labor contractors and the drivers in order to protect children rights in agriculture.
§ Providing families of the injured with some money during treatment period.
§ Amendments of legal provisions to transform the legal system so that the perpetrators of these accidents are brought to justice within the shortest time possible.
§ Formation of a medical team by co-operation with civil associations and different governmental institutions to visit child laborer homes to introduce regular medical care.
Providing farmers with additional services that help them in choosing suitable fertilizers and equipment for crop dusting.