Many forms of child labor can be hazardous to a child's health. There have been direct links between many forms of child labor and poor physical development in child workers. Child Labor Facts and Figures. It is estimated that about 120 million children between the ages of five and 14 work at least full time. If children for whom work is a secondary activity are included, the figure reaches 250 million.
Child labor is more prevalent in developing countries but also exists in industrialized nations.
While the majority of child labor exists in South and Southeast Asia, South America, and Africa, child labor is also a growing concern in Eastern Europe where countries are undergoing the economic transition from a command economy to a market economy. December 1997, pg. Although no one claims to fully understand the macro-economic forces behind child labor, on a much smaller level, intense poverty forces many families to send their children to work. Because poor families spend most of their income on food, the children's income can be important for survival. However, poverty does not necessarily cause child labor.