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A new law in Bolivia allows children as young as 10 to work legally, and has led to sharp criticism from many international human rights groups noting that it goes against a United Nations convention setting a minimum age of 14.  But supporters of the legislation say that the law guarantees legal protections and fair wages for children, who have been working regardless of laws against it.

National Public Radio's Renee Montagne offered these comments about the new law:

"A child between 10 and 12 is now allowed to work independently.  So that would involve jobs like shining shoes, selling juice on the street — things like that, where they're not contracted by a boss.  And then a child from 12 to 14 can now hold contract work — as long as they don't work more than six hours a day, as long as they are given time to attend school, and it doesn't interfere with their schooling.  And all of this is supposed to be with the permission of the parent or guardian, and under supervision of a child protection agency.

"It allows children who are between 10 and 12 who are currently working on the streets to work without sort of being moved along by the police.  And children, who are 12 to 14, now if they have a problem with their employer, have a legal leg to stand on.  And they're supposed to be paid minimum wage, just like an adult, and enjoy the same rights as a worker...

"People say that a child who is working doesn't have the proper time to dedicate to school, that it's going to trap people in a cycle of poverty because they're never going to be able to get an education that could move them out of it.  People say that the minimum wage should be increased for adults so that they're more able to support their families."

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