Report: 3M children working in Mexico, half unpaid
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Hidek Naito/FlickrA boy sells candy and cigarettes on the streets of San Cristóbal, Mexico.
Mexico's National Human Rights Commission said Friday that 3 million minors work in the country, half without pay.
The news was released days ahead of the celebration of Children's Day in Mexico on April 30.
The group hopes the scathing report, which is based on official statistics, will pressure Mexican authorities into action, according to FOX News Latino.
The report said most of these young workers, a group ranging from 5- to 17-year-olds, are forced to work in order to survive or help support their families, said FOX. The majority work in poor conditions, put in long hours, and are often the victims of abuse.
Half of them — over 1 million — are not even compensated for their labors, said the report, according to the Argentina Independent.
The rights group has also started a nationwide awareness campaign under the slogan "No se vale mano pequeña" ("Not if it’s made by young hands") as part of ramped-up efforts to publicize the issue, said the Independent.
This article originally appeared on GlobalPost.
