{"id":3050,"date":"2023-04-20T10:00:51","date_gmt":"2023-04-20T07:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ludci.eu\/magazine\/?p=3050"},"modified":"2023-04-11T15:46:20","modified_gmt":"2023-04-11T12:46:20","slug":"childrens-rights-are-truly-forsaken-in-the-business-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ludci.eu\/magazine\/childrens-rights-are-truly-forsaken-in-the-business-world\/","title":{"rendered":"Children\u2019s rights are truly forsaken in the business world"},"content":{"rendered":"

Author:<\/strong> Vassilia Orfanou, PhD, Post-Doc<\/h3>\n

Headline Diplomat eMagazine, LUDCI.eu<\/h3>\n

More than 1 billion children are touched by global business supply chains directly or indirectly.<\/p>\n

The manner in which we carry out business anywhere in the world impacts children. Terms of labor and employment, workplace conditions, pricing, and even policies that limit the ability of parents or breadwinners to provide for their families: All of these business decisions have serious ramifications for our children\u2019s well-being.<\/p>\n

In some cases, actions that do not violate the adult\u2019s rights can violate those of children<\/a> \u2013 for instance, we have set up pollution standards based on adult exposure, without even considering for child health outcomes. What\u2019s more, supply chain conditions, sales & marketing messages, digital systems, organizational security measures, the utilization of land & pesticides, and other forms of practicing business also affect children in ways business leaders may not even come to think about.<\/p>\n

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child<\/h3>\n

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) came into force in 1990 and articulates the basic, non-negotiable human rights that all children have. Children\u2019s rights include irrevocable necessities associated to their education, health, play and recreation, family life, to be protected from abuse and harm, and have the basic standard of living. Children rights cover their developmental and age-appropriate requirements that change over time as they grow up.<\/p>\n

The relationship between children\u2019s rights and the business world<\/h3>\n

Children are participants<\/a> in the business world, but they are equally victims of an environment created by adults. Our predominantly capitalist societies make business omnipresent in children\u2019s lives. Due to the exploitation of children, the risk of their growth or their alteration, or even the destruction of the environment they breath would need to turn companies into major advocates to respect for children\u2019s rights.<\/p>\n

Child labor and different types of trafficking are well-known violations of children rights. Children, as active members of a community, are affected by the actions of businesses. Like adults, they are users of goods and services. They are also affected by practices of companies surrounding the misuse of the environment, such as the behavior of companies in connection to global warming, the dumping of toxic waste, and much more.<\/p>\n

These actions have a negative effect<\/a> on the environment, risking not only their health and their healthy development, but also preventing a prosperous future. Furthermore, many kids are illegally and invisibly involved in the production and operation of businesses, as they are objectified as goods being trafficked in different illegal trades, such as forced labor, sexual exploitation, and much more, preventing them from being whole, physically and psychologically adept to live and breathe.<\/p>\n

When businesses sit down to review their standards, policies, and practices, children\u2019s rights are mainly overlooked. This is a crucial missing link not just for businesses, but for investors, governments, trade unions, and other decision makers. Bringing children\u2019s rights into the conversation needs a rethinking of the manner in which businesses treat employees, develop and market products, run facilities, provide services, and put influence on their communities.<\/p>\n

Being responsible pushing for a CSR policy respecting children should be a matter of concern for any business, any professional, any policy, any investment. All businesses have a responsibility to look at their footprint and assume measures to turn adverse impact into positive outcomes for children.<\/p>\n

It is our common goal and duty to protect children\u2019s rights<\/h3>\n

The key obligation for respecting, protecting, and fulfilling children\u2019s rights, lies with the state. The UN committee on the Rights of the Child is the body charged with keeping an eye on how States implement the CRC, and it also needs States: to protect against third party interference with rights, including by business enterprise. As reported by the committee, state duties to regulate business activities include:<\/p>\n