One of the most serious problems affecting the population of Dominican boys, girls, and adolescents is the level of poverty. Over 55% of the population between 0 and 2 years of age and 49% of those aged between 13 and 18 are poor. 47% of total Dominican population is between the ages of 0 and 17. In the DR children age 10-17 work which affects their education and development. Apart from access to the formal education system, the adolescent population has limited access to technical/vocational education through institutes and schools, because enrolment costs are not affordable for many families.
In the Dominican Republic the rates of child labour, abuse and commercial sexual exploitation of children between the ages of 6 and 12, imply situations of severe violation of their rights. The National Child Labour Survey (ENTI by its initials in Spanish) carried out by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2000, indicates that close to 66% of the children who work (436,000) are between the ages of 5 and 14; and that 42% of this population entered the labour market before the age of 10. The early age at which children start working, which competes with school attendance, and its degree of danger, expose many children to situations that endanger their health, education and personal security.
Looking at this information troubles me because children can't be children in these conditions, not having the proper help in place will never end the cycle of poverty. I know for my family the best thing they sought to improve in their living conditions was to come to the United States, I have thought about what if my family never came here and what my current life would be like living in the DR now.
