Mexico: Three Million Children Work

Escrito por Heidy Morin Rueda

miércoles, 14 de julio de 2010

14 de julio de 2010, 00:16Mexico, Jul 14 (Prensa Latina) Three million children in Mexico, between five and 17 years of age, participate in economic activities, today reported the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI).
  According to INEGI and the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, the number of children working in the country decreased from 3.6 million to three million during the biennium 2007-2009, for a decrease of 17.3 percent.
The child occupancy rate fell from 12.5 percent in 2007 to 10.7 in 2009, in the case of males the proportion rose to 16.6 percent compared to 14.1 and in girls to 8.3 from 7.2, the government agency said.
The southern state of Guerrero reported the higher infant occupancy rate reaching 17.6 percentage points and the lowest corresponded to Chihuahua in northern Mexico, with 3.4 percent, according to the institutional assessment .
According to INEGI, in 2009 there were 28.2 million children aged five to 17 years old, equivalent to 26.2 percent of the total population, which shows the magnitude of the phenomenon.
Through the research, it was found that 90.5 percent of children this age attend school and among the main reasons for dropout are the lack of interest or aptitude for study and the lack of economic resources at home.
It also endorsed that 49.1 percent of children receive remuneration and 47.2 work without pay in exchange, in activities such as trade, services, agricultural and industrial activities, to receive generally low income.
About occupationsâ?Ö risk, the research showed that about 120,000 occupied
children have suffered an accident, injury or illness at work and required medical assistance during the analyzed biennium.
Meanwhile, 5.7 percent worked in inappropriate or not permitted places, such as mines, places without ventilation or light, heights, streets, avenues, and bars. According to Statistics; 27.2 percent were exposed to excessive noise, humidity, dangerous tools, chemicals, among other risks, indicated the diagnosis.

Noticias de Prensa Latina – Mexico: Three Million Children Work