Mexico
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Shockingly, there are about 300,000 children who work illegally in Mexico’s fields! Mexican law prohibits children ages 13 and younger from working and those who are 14 and 16 can work only in jobs that do not “jeopardize their development”. However, children under 15 make up 20% of Mexico’s child labor work force. The 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement is partly to blame for this because they have opened up the United States market to Mexican farming. Specifically, the imports of Mexican fruits and vegetables has risen from $3.2 billion from $4.4 billion. In addition to the Trade Agreement, many children are expected to start working after middle school because school fees are so high. Even with these setbacks, the Mexican goverment has started building day-care centers nationwide and is boosting the number of grants given to families so that children can continue getting an education. However, poverty and a long tradition of farmwork remain a significant link to the continuation of child labor.