The Right of Children to Be Children

Poet Victor Hugo's 19th-century verses questioning the fate of children forced into labor, working fifteen-hour days, confined to repetitive tasks, pale and exhausted, resonate disturbingly with the present day. Despite global discussions on children's rights, including the right to education, health, and family, a fundamental right often seems to be overlooked in many regions: the right of children to simply be children. When this right is violated, a cascade of other rights follows.

Statistics from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF paint a grim picture: 138 million children worldwide are still in child labor, with almost 54 million performing hazardous work. This deprives them of education, play, and rest, setting off a chain reaction that robs them of their childhoods, stifles their dreams, and forces them into adult roles prematurely. These numbers represent stolen infancies and unfulfilled potential, far beyond mere statistics.

In Cuba, the Code of Childhood, Adolescence, and Youth explicitly prohibits child labor, recognizing it as a form of exploitation. The legislation safeguards children's right to protection against all forms of exploitation that jeopardize their development and enjoyment of rights. It specifically identifies any work that hinders a child's development, interferes with their education, play, or rest, or is dangerous to their health and well-being as a manifestation of exploitation.

While the code strongly condemns child labor, it does acknowledge exceptional circumstances. It allows for the protection of adolescents who are exceptionally authorized to work, such as those who have graduated from technical and professional education or others who, under legally defined exceptional conditions, are permitted to join the workforce. This is intended for educational purposes, training, vocational development, and as a guarantee of their integral development, underscoring a nuanced approach that prioritizes protection while allowing for controlled, beneficial work experiences in specific cases.

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Van a trabajar quince horas en las fábricas, / van a hacer eternamente, desde el alba hasta la noche, / en la misma prisión, el mismo movimiento. / Jamás pueden detenerse, jamás podrán jugar. / Y qué palidez! La ceniza está en sus mejillas: / Apenas apunta el día ya están fatigados.