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Child Advocacy

Child advocacy, the act of supporting children's rights, encompasses a variety of social and political issues in countries worldwide. They include, but are not limited to, hunger, child labor, disease and other health risks, homelessness, physical and emotional abuse and neglect, sexual exploitation, and education. These issues usually do not exist in isolation, and poverty is often a central element. Economic disenfranchisement, combined with status as “under-age,” nonvoting citizens, leaves children politically powerless.

The primary goals of child advocates are to prevent harm to children's physical, mental, and emotional well-being and to change existing conditions that are harmful to children. Child advocacy is undertaken by individuals; grassroots groups and nonprofit organizations; relief agencies; religious groups; corporations; and both non-government and government-sponsored agencies. These entities operate in a variety of ways (e.g., as independent sponsors, through outreach programs, in networks) and for a variety of purposes (e.g., to conduct research, inform the public, impact policy, provide support and resources). Their efforts take place in local communities and at national and international levels.

Child advocates represent a number of different philosophies, one of which is the perspective of social justice based on the conviction that it is an ethical and moral responsibility to act on the behalf of children who are marginalized or have been rendered voiceless. They advocate for individuals as well as to promote the collective good. Following are descriptions of child advocacy efforts that address three of the issues listed above: child labor, abuse and neglect, and child health and health care.

Child Labor

One of the earliest social ills to be addressed by rights advocates on behalf of children was child labor. During the rise of industrialism, an increasing number of children were sent to work in factories, mines, and mills. They worked up to 16 hours a day in unsanitary and dangerous conditions. Publications by Karl Marx and Charles Dickens were instrumental in focusing public criticism on the practice of child labor. In particular, Dickens's novel Oliver Twist, published in 1838, was a social critique of London's workhouses and captured the attention of widespread audiences.

In the United States, one of the first child labor advocacy groups was the National Child Labor Committee, a private, nonprofit organization of social workers. Begun in 1904, the National Child Labor Committee continues to this day to advocate on behalf of children to prevent exploitation in the workplace, to improve the health and education of young migrant workers, and to increase public awareness of child labor laws. It also now collaborates with other organizations and corporations nationwide to sponsor a variety of programs.

Other child labor advocacy groups include the Child Labor Coalition, UNICEF, Campaign for Labor Rights, and the United Farm Workers. These and other groups seek to end the exploitation of children working in sweatshops, the child sex market, drug trade, commercial farming, and businesses. It is estimated that as many as 246 million children are currently engaged in child labor.

Abuse and Neglect

Whereas child labor is an issue that primarily affects children from economically poor backgrounds, child abuse and neglect occur across all socioeconomic groups. When one thinks of advocacy and protection for abused and neglected children, government-funded social service agencies or child protective services may come to mind first. These agencies respond to reports of suspected child abuse or neglect, conduct investigations, and provide support services or, in imminently dangerous situations, remove the child from the environment.

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