In a very controversial statement, a Brazilian politician has stated that 13-year-olds are old enough to work if they are old enough to win medals at the Olympics. Child labor laws are different for every country, and the strictness of the laws is typically based on how developed a country is. Countries like the US and Canada have very strict laws on how old a child can be before they enter the workforce, but this is not the same across the world. The attitude and belief about how old a child should be before they are allowed to work are also different based on country and individual.
According to Business Insider, a Brazilian politician has suggested that if 13-year-olds are old enough to win medals, they are old enough to work. This comes after the Tokyo Olympics is seeing some of their youngest medal winners. According to CBS News, 13-year-old Momiki Nishiya just brought the Gold medal to Japan in skateboarding.
Brazil also saw a young skateboarder win the Silver, and this was what prompted the politician, Sostenes Cavalcante, to go to Twitter and state that these youth should be considered old enough to work. However, there are still many who disagree with him.
Child labor is illegal in Brazil, even though Sostenes is prompting a revision to these laws. Currently, the law states that anyone under the age of 14 cannot work in the country, but Sostenes states that these young winners are showing that young people could get jobs and enter the workforce. Many would argue that there is a difference between getting a job and competing in a sport in the Olympics. While it has been said to be unclear if the politician was being serious or just making a lightheaded joke, the comment still received backlash on social media.
Some are calling it “distorted thinking” to think that a child playing a sport and working are comparable things. This is a sentiment that is echoed, as children are supposed to be focused on school and having fun. Some also accused the politician of taking advantage of their young hero’s victory and using it to push an agenda he has to force children into the workforce. Regardless, the stance continues to be that children do not need to be working because a child who has to work will have no time for other activities that prove to be more beneficial for them.
Sources: Business Insider, CBS News