Because of cultural expectations, girls will tend to have fewer options for work then boys. Since there is a stereotype that girls are 'weaker' then boys, the work that the girls do is often valued less then the work boys can do. It is more likely to go unpaid and will often be out of sight from the public, such as when caring for other family members or babies. In countries where HIV/AIDS is popular among families, the families usually rely on the girls of the family to do the work that the adults would normally be doing. This will often mean that girls will then lose several opportunities to get a paying job and learn important skills.
When working outside the home in other people's homes, usually as servants or nannies, they face a higher risk of being exposed to abuse whether it's physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, these girls are already being exposed to exploitative conditions. When the odd chance happens that a girl gets to actually attend school, because she is a girl, she might find that school is also an unsafe environment.
When working towards ending child labour, we as a global community have to take into account the cultural differences and issues that boys and girls have to face when creating laws. For children who are lucky enough to attend school even though they are working, it is held at night and is generally informal. Since it is held at night, this eliminates the opportunity for girls to go because they are not allowed out at night because it is not safe. At school, children are put in programs the will encourage the to use their decision making skills about their work and to also insure that both boys and girls have equal opportunities.
-Ilona V-
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