[originaltext] The International Labor Organization is marking the fourth Wor

The International Labor Organization is marking the fourth World Day against child labor with a call to stop children from working in mines. The ILO says it’s optimistic the problem can be eliminated within ten years, because it has strong backing from governments and parents. E. F reports from Geneva.
   "The ILO believes a million children, some as young as five years old, are working in mines. They are frequently expected to do the same work as adults, using adult-size tools and carrying loads that are too heavy. Spinal injuries are common. Children can be found primarily in small-scale mines and quarries where there is little control. Mines like this exist in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Poverty is the reason more often than not, whole families-grandparents, parents and children all work in the same mine."