JEDDAH: The Kingdom has made great strides in eliminating child labor with the rights bodies, such as the Human Rights Commission, saying it has almost been eradicated.
The president of the National Society from Human Rights (NSHR), Mufleh Al-Qahtani, confirmed that the Kingdom has almost completed its legal system in the field of child protection, saying child labor has almost been eliminated.
He said there are isolated cases and but they don’t involve heavy work, with cases limited to family businesses.
He said some children selling goods next to traffic lights are usually exploited by gangs for begging; these children are usually smuggled into the Kingdom or are living here illegally, he added.
A local publication met with some children working in seemingly difficult occupations, with some saying they wanted to contribute to their family’s income, while others were dreaming of getting rich one day.
Faris Mousa, 14, was seen working in an auto parts shop in Makkah to take care of his family. Faris said he is the only provider for the family and wants to improve their economic situation.
He said his father is in Nigeria and suffers from a hearing disability; his mother works all the time to meet the family’s daily needs, and he wanted to share the responsibility with her, which is why he found work. He says he has worked in many occupations and now gets SR200 a week at his current job.
Rayan is only 11 years old and he accompanies his father to work in a car maintenance workshop. His father said he is the eldest child, but because of the difficult situation in Yemen, they had to flee the country and Rayan works with him to help him manage the family’s finances.
Rayan said work has taught him how to be patient saying he loves his job but he hopes to learn to read and write.
At the Ateeqa vegetable market in Riyadh, children work delivering fruit and vegetables with small carts.
Abdul Rahman, 13 years old, said customers’ treatment varies. “Some treat us with respect and give us good tips, while others underpay us even though we push their goods for more than two hours.”
Ahmad Khaled left school a month ago because of his family’s difficult circumstances. He used to carry goods by hand but has saved up and bought a cart.
At 8 a.m., around 5 million students start their school day, while others go to workshops and the vegetable markets. After human rights awareness on social media, child workers disappeared from most markets but they are still seen in industrial areas and remote stores.
Nine-year-old Mohsin works as an assistant in a workshop, carrying maintenance tools for his boss. Some workers employ their own children because they are cheaper and because they want to teach them their trade, but usually they take them during vacations and after school.
Rashed, the owner of a furniture shop, takes his children with him and they do their homework in the shop. He said his children’s future is in learning his trade as long as it doesn’t affect their school work.