Opinions of children and adolescents on the exercise of child labor in the Metropolitan District of Quito in the period 2019 March 2024

Abstract

Child labor is a global problem faced by several countries in the world, including Ecuador and, more specifically, the city of Quito. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), child labor impedes the enjoyment of childhood, negatively influences the physical and psychological development of children and adolescents, and undermines their schooling and human dignity.

This document describes the situation of child labor in the Metropolitan District of Quito and some of its causes and consequences. In addition, it is evident that most of the studies on this phenomenon start from an adult-centric vision, so this paper aims to present the opinions of children and adolescents on the exercise of child labor in the Metropolitan District

of Quito in the period 2019 March 2024, and to raise awareness of this problem. Finally, it is known that researches that include child labor from the perspective of children and adolescents are scarce and, although it is true that there are philosophical currents that do not agree that the opinions of these are taken into account, it is difficult to specify authors who speak about it.