This summer, the streets of Nablus and Jerusalem are lined with Palestinian children desperate to help their destitute families.
The children are collecting empty bottles and discarded hardware on the side of the road, re-selling it in order to make a little money.But the economic implications of this work are grim, according to some experts, who say that it exploits child labor and increases unemployment for adults who desperately need work.
Palestinians say that this trade attracts hundreds of children, especially during the start of the summer holiday in June. Children flock to busy intersections, where garbage is dumped from nicer neighborhoods. Main streets, squares and city centers are also popular spots for scavenging.
The extra income generated from selling these items helps families suffering from job loss and economic strife under the Israeli occupation. Checkpoints and the construction of walls in strategic areas have cut off many people from jobs and land that they used to support their families — enclosing them in areas with little economic opportunity.
Imad Ramiz, 12, says that he spends about 4 hours a day along the streets near his home in Jerusalem, collecting bottles and other remnants before selling his collection to a local shop. The boy prefers this work to selling vegetables with his father, who only pays him 10 NIS. After 10 hours of work, he can get 30 NIS from the shop owner for his finds.
Jamal Abdel Kader, a 13-year-old who dreams of spending his vacation at summer camp, says his father forced him to stop collecting garbage in the streets.
Children must be tough to live my childhood," Kader said.
A glass factory worker in Nablus said there’s been a marked increase in the number of children selling to them. Hundreds of children are beginning to take up the task — a sign of increasingly tough economic times for the Palestinians.
Nafez Abu Bakr, a professor in the Department of Economics and Administrative Sciences at An-Najah National University in Nablus, said the phenomenon has a negative impact on unemployment and the economy in general, as employers exploit minors for the work, paying them less than they would adults, who also need the work.
"For a poor family that’s always trying to find ways to make money, this situation allows children to be taken advantage of, and doesn’t provide enough income for a comfortable life,” Bakr said. “It ultimately results in a distorted economy.”
In the view of a local social worker, the widespread phenomenon, which is especially prevalent in poorer Palestinian areas, has serious implications for the future of social, cultural and economic development. She is calling for a study that not only analyzes the situation, but explores ways to resolve it, including official efforts to prevent the exploitation of children for labor. Full story
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