Child labor is a major problem among nations because it prevents children from receiving the education they need to improve their future. Instead of going to school, these children work in agriculture, manufacturing, factories and other activities that involve drugs and prostitution. Child labor ultimately exists because these economies are so poor that it is a much cheaper way to get things done and make money. Child labor has existed for centuries and, despite new laws and regulations, children continue to work underage and not attend school. There are many characteristics incorporated into child labour. According to the Child Labor Public Education Project, Sydney Donahoe says the following characteristics are: Violates the national minimum age law Threatens the physical, mental or emotional well-being of children Involves intolerable abuse, such as child slavery, child trafficking, Debt slavery, forced labor or illicit activities Prevents children from going to school Uses children to undermine labor standards Among the many concerns about children being forced to work, the fact that they are not receiving the education they should is a major problem. These laws and regulations are supposed to ensure that these children go to school rather than work. It is an attempt to stop child labor, because no one should violate these laws. The laws and regulations that should be implemented differ from state to state. According to the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, minors under the age of 18 should not be allowed to work more than 40 hours per week. There are also laws regarding lunch times for children under 18. T......middle of paper......yeah, so how would they support themselves and their future families? While we've come a long way in trying to prevent child labor, it's surprising that nearly every product we hear about involves some sort of child labor. I believe that if companies were more concerned about where they get their products and less about spending the minimum amount of money, we could prevent child labor. If big companies boycotted these areas known for their high rate of child labor, it would certainly reduce their numbers. If companies like Victoria Secret, Hershey's, Apple, and Walmart stopped purchasing from these high-index countries, then there would be no reason for children to work. It is an important issue and it should be a priority to send these kids to school and focus on their education instead of working at such a young age.