PICKERS OF OTHER PEOPLE'S CHOCOLATE  CHILD LABOUR IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Abstract

In today's world, millions of children are victims of child labor, even the worst forms of child labor, and live in fear, misery and poverty every day, without any rights or guarantees. In this light, it is important to emphasize that the International Labor Organization has been making significant efforts for decades in order to eliminate child labor. In this regard, it is especially important to mention the relevance of the International Labour Organization Convention No. 183 dealing with minimum age and International Labour Organization Convention No. 182 dealing with worst forms of child labour as key legal instruments in this regard. Furthermore, the importance of prohibiting child labour is also recognized and addressed as part of the decent work concept which was also created by the International Labour Organization. And yet, contrary to the constant efforts of the International Labor Organization and countries around the world to eradicate prohibited child labor, child labour remains present and especially emphasized in times of crisis. In this context, the paper provides for a brief overview of the historical perspective, but focuses on the issue of child labour today, in the XXI century. The paper includes a detailed consideration of child labor that has existed for centuries and refers to the fact that children are “making chocolate for others”, in both the metaphorical and literal sense. What is more, the paper also deals with the fact that today “chocolate” are often products such as mobile phones that are produced by child labour, i.e., children that are victims of abuse and exploitation, working in unhealthy and dangerous working conditions. On the other hand, the issue of new tendencies in the context of the development of information technologies, which enables children to earn income as influencers on different platforms (social media) is also addressed in the paper. This type of activity, i.e., work, opens up a series of delicate legal issues, which are discussed in detail. In light of the above mentioned, the aim of the paper is to point out that it is still necessary to invest great efforts in order to eliminated child labor, but also that child labor is present today in “traditional” but also new forms.