Numerous numbers
of children inside means of transportation. In addition, non-existence of
sufficient drivers.19
Mercy for dead and consolation for family
“When I opened the fridge on the hospital, my daughter Mona was the most beautiful girl even in the fridge of dead persons!!… Mona used to work since she was 11 years because I have seven children, two of them are married and my income is so little. At the night of the accident, she asked me for not going to work then I answered “you have to stay at home till you marry”. After that she kissed me and left for bed. When we went to the hospital, they told us that she asked for seeing me before her death. After the accident, we went to the mayor, who asked us if we wanted to have damage for the accident or not. Firstly I refused but my wife said to me “it is our right, we can use it for marriage for other girls”. Now after one year, we have nothing”
It was uncle Rabie voice, Mona’s father, Mona died with her friends through car accident that transformed them to farms in the mountain to collect grapes. It is one of voices by which the report no (20) of social and economic series is filled. This report deals with these kinds of accidents to discuss the phenomenon of children work in agriculture. It shows abusing of our children in cotton, wheat, vegetables and fruit fields. These accidents are the witness for all lies that deny existence of children labors in agriculture sector.
The report is divided into five parts:
The first part: “ the decision of minister of agriculture about preventing children to work in farms… is unreal!!”
The part reveals unreality of this decision that points to the conditions of poor farmers and tenants that lead them to push their children to work in farms. But the fact is that farm owners don’t stop abusing children in farms because of their low salaries. This part points that this decision is published only for applying to policies of ELGAT without studying for the case.
The second part: “agricultural children….hard working conditions and one fate”
This part deals with two issues;
Firstly, it reveals the contradictions in children work that we can notice that there are fatherly relationships between some children and work owners, who have the right to punish them by taking pounds from their salaries. For example, one of girls said “uncle Mosad treats us as his children but he takes four pounds from my salary every day, he is the responsible of our protection”
Secondly, it shows the accidents that children face in agriculture. It determines the responsibility of these accidents:
Numerous numbers
of children inside means of transportation. In addition, non-existence of
sufficient drivers.
Absence of
consciousness with meaning of legal rights of children labors like medical
insurance, social insurance, damages and work contracts.
Negligence of
building and maintenance for roads and gates between villages.
Negligence of
medical care for people in countryside especially in clinics and hospitals.
Absence roles of
different ministries like ministries of work, education, insurance and
agriculture towards these crimes.
The third part: “children of Zat Elkom…..There is no felony”
The children in Zat Elkom have no rights either alive or dead that the police, the hospital, the mayor and parents themselves aimed to insert that there is no felony and close the case as quick as possible. Through these unfair conditions, the injured are obligated to work with the same landowner. For example, Hania, who had brain concussion, stayed on hospital bed for a day without any care. Moreover, the doctor said to her mother “the girl needs injection that costs 240 pound, if you don’t buy it until 2 o’clock, I am not responsible for her death”. After one weak, the girl transformed to the house and continued in treatment for two months, which (treatment) cost 2000 pound. Now Hania doesn’t work in land because she can’t bow. However, she works in factory with two pounds a day from four to twelve o’ clock p.m.
The fourth part: “you parents… do you have more information?!”
This part shows the bad conditions and poverty of the families in the countryside, which obligate them to push their children to work. This issue reveals obviously through narration of victims’ parents. For example, uncle Mahmod, whose daughters Heba and Zienb died in the accident, said, “I am a 61 years old farmer. I have eight children, no one of them are educated. Five of them are married, after marriage of five children; Heba and Zienb stayed at home. Unfortunately, I had a disease in my eyes that obligated me to stay at hospital for month. So the two girls began to work again, when they faced their fate”.
This part reveals how worth are the conditions of farmers that they have no alternative solutions. These conditions prevent children from their rights in education, health and real life.
The fifth part: “recommendations”
The children
should have weakly pay holiday. Work hours shouldn’t be more than eight hours
per day.
According to
article no (145) of executive code of child law, they should have daily meals
that contain 200 gm of milk.
According to
article no (146) of executive code of child law, children, who work with
agriculture, should have enough pure water.
According to
article no (142) of executive code of child law, we should save all protective
procedures for their health.
Saving free
treatment from job diseases. This is according to article no (147) of executive
code of child law.
The ministry of
education should determine uneducated children in every village and try to solve
their problems in order to get back to education.
The media should
aware with the danger of phenomenon of children labor.
The center calls on all governmental officials, researchers, group of civil work and all individuals in the Egyptian countryside to interest with this report and discusses the recommendations in order to save safe life for our children.