Jana Ababneh (NYU GSAS) | Save the Children Jordan| Amman, Jordan
Returning to my hometown of Amman, Jordan has allowed me to see the issue of child labor up close. On a trip with friends to Wadi Rum and Petra, I had conversations with children who “worked” as guides, selling trinkets to tourists, and other tasks. Now that it’s summer, children who are otherwise in school are also partaking in the informal economy through child labor. It’s eye-opening to see the children themselves describe their experiences in a matter-of-fact way.
I have started my project with Save the Children Jordan. Everyone on my team is exceptionally kind and knowledgeable, and I’m excited for the opportunity to work with them. I’m working with the Media and Communication Advocacy Department. One of the current tasks being overseen by my department under the “Work: No Child’s Business” program is a social media awareness-raising campaign that is #لا-تعطيه-عشان-تحميه, which translates to “#Don’tGiveThemSoYouCanProtectThem in English.
The campaign is addressing the issue of children working as beggars and panhandlers. In Jordan, certain panhandling “gangs” are notorious for pulling children out of school and forcing them to beg on the streets. The social media campaign seeks to discourage people from giving cash to these children, aiming to make child labor less profitable in the long run. However, knowing that child laborers are often physically punished if they don’t meet the cash “quotas” set by their families presents an uncomfortable moral dilemma, raising the question of the value of individual actions versus community care. I hope that the work I do this summer contributes positively to a change in the current systems that make it easy – and profitable – to exploit children’s labor.
At the same time, while working on my summer project, I am able to have a close insight into Save the Children Jordan’s work on the plight of children in Gaza. Save the Children International has recently released a report on the 20,000+ children in Gaza who are missing or under rubble. In Jordan, the atmosphere feels different since before the war. There is a constant sense of mourning, even amidst Eid festivities. The children in Jordan that I have talked to expressed solidarity with the children in Gaza. I was deeply moved by the tenderness and camaraderie the children expressed and am unable to give it justice in words even now.
Sincerely,
Jana A