Fathers and Breadwinners at aged 13 years

[Griffin NoName]

At last something interesting in my very dull MSc reading.... but I find it not only shocking but almost unbelievable:

<quote>

Development and Conflict Theory Olympio Barbanti, Jr. , August 2004

"In Brazil, the criminal sector has been able to recruit children as young as nine years old. The profile of the typical youth taken to reform schools is shocking. The majority are around 13 years old, yet they are fathers and breadwinners. "

http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/development_conflict_theory/

[Sibling DavidH]

As you say - almost unbelievable.  And if they're fathers, what do their sons turn into?

[Swatopluk]

precocious

Seriously, in agrarian communities it is (still) normal that children from about the age of 8 (have to) do at least some farm work, so the age would not be uncommon.
Fatherhood is something different. How old are the mothers in question? I think that would be a better indicator of egregiousness.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

From time to time I heard stories of girls getting pregnant at ages 9-10 in Latin America. A 12-13 y/o father would be the equivalent (in the very edge of fertility). Considering that minors start their sexual activity earlier nowadays, and that in poor communities contraception is unknown, ignored or discouraged (by the church), it is perfectly plausible.

[Griffin NoName]

Considering that minors start their sexual activity earlier nowadays, and that in poor communities contraception is unknown, ignored or discouraged (by the church), it is perfectly plausible.

Perhaps we molly coddle our youngsters. Sending them out to work at 12/13 instead of expecting them to stay in school until 16/18 would contribute to our economy and might get us out of the current mess never mind making up for the increasing numbers of pensioners dossing about on the state.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

At 13 y/o a kid might have been working for 5-6 years easily, either in a farm or selling candy/newspapers in the streets. Although I have to say that in the past few years there has been an active effort to hide those kids from view.

[Swatopluk]

Well, chimney sweeps are still needed 
I condemn myself for really bad taste and lack of tact.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Well, chimney sweeps are still needed 
I condemn myself for really bad taste and lack of tact.

Not to mention, there is still a need for boiler-cleaners:  the hatches on those things are really small.  And septic tanks, again, small hatches, small containers, but someone has to get in there and clean them out...

<gag>

[Sibling DavidH]

^ and ^^

[Darlica]

Really boys? Get yourself together...

It is a serious problem, these children are in many ways being deprived their rights including their right to be children.

While becoming a father and the breadwinner of a family no doubt is too much to weight to put on the shoulders of a  12-13 year old boy, fathering a child at that age isn't a direct threat to the boys (physical) health or his life.

Now as Zono said, imagine the age of that boys girlfriend... Reflect a moment about what a pregnancy would do to a 9 to 13 year old girls body.
-Don't think about the soul and mind of the little girl at the moment...

Since many of these mothers are not likely to get exactly top-notch maternity welfare where her health is monitored and cared for (with vital vitamin/mineral supplements among other things) she risks her life and future health carrying this child.
Her skeleton isn't fully grown, she might be as tall as she'll ever get but the bones still have soft growing zones and have not reached full density, the pregnancy will "steal" calcium needed for her own growth and she risks permanent damage due to calcium deficiency. Her skeleton specifically her pelvis also risk permanent damage from the childbirth itself.
Complications during birth are very common for extremely young women/girls as the pelvis isn't wide enough for the child's head to pass resulting in worst scenario death for both the mother and the child, it can also result in: brain damage for the child due to not getting enough oxygen and/or emergency caesareans (complications are quite common for extremely old mothers too but there are other risks involved for those), horrible pains and possibly a permanently deformed pelvis for the mother and probably a inability for her to have any more children.   

-Now you can think of the psychological aftermath.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

For the girls those pregnancies are frequently the result of rape (and those from a member of the household in all likelihood), so the psychological damage of childbearing can be small potatoes compared to the full picture.

On the same token, working boys are usually runaways or actively abused until they run away.

The consequences of poverty, lack of education and the systematic indifference from the state and society in general are usually hidden from view, but the numbers are far, far higher than you can think, the shanty towns/favelas are enormous and the living conditions are appalling (I've seen them with my own eyes), usually build in surrounding hills, made or cardboard and zinc, hundreds of thousands of people without running water, living in dirt floors, etc.

One little detail, in Colombia specifically taxes and public services (electricity, water) have different prices according to the "strata", so strata 1, 2 and 3 have different levels of subsidies*, while 4, 5 and 6 have surcharges to help pay for the first 3. The people living in what is called "absolute misery" are in the No. 1. The poor from the 1st world are usually in what would be No. 3 (No. 2 in very extreme cases). So, I doubt you can have a clear picture of the conditions unless you have had the chance to see it with your own eyes.

* No. 1 rarely pays for their services because either they steal them (in the case of electricity) or have no possible access to running water because of location/infrastructure and physics (pressure levels aren't high enough to reach the hills).

[Swatopluk]

Really, boys? Get yourself together...

That's why I said that one should concentrate more on the girls because underage working boys are common even in less detrimental conditions. Girls are the better coal mine canaries.

[Darlica]

Perhaps I didn't make self clear.

What I meant was, shape up (boys) this is not a laughing matter.


I'll admit, when it comes to some subjects I lack every trace of humour.

[Swatopluk]

I understood you well. I should have added '[sarcasm]' tags. It's either that or posting rules violating rants.

Walmart's shelves are full of the products of (often underage) slave labour (+child often prostitution) taking place even on American occupied soil (the Marianas) with very active support from Washington politicians that try to hide the facts, to protect those responsible and to mercilessly destroy anyone who tries to put an end to it (cf. the fate of the federal lawyers that stood in the way of Abramoff on this).
Walmart is of course not the only culprit. Many other corporations (esp. of the textile branch) are not amused when someone informs the public how the shoes and clothes get produced.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Perhaps I didn't make self clear.

What I meant was, shape up (boys) this is not a laughing matter.


I'll admit, when it comes to some subjects I lack every trace of humour.

I wasn't laughing:  the lesson of J Swift's "A Modest Proposal" is still firmly within my mind.