{"id":13861,"date":"2021-06-03T10:00:13","date_gmt":"2021-06-03T08:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/?p=13861"},"modified":"2021-05-25T12:41:21","modified_gmt":"2021-05-25T10:41:21","slug":"the-agora","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/","title":{"rendered":"The Agora"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">T<\/span>here are those who argue that work dignifies man. This is what is thought, given that in this way people are credited with being able to perform in a useful way in society. However, when it comes to children, this issue must be looked at with different eyes.<\/p>\n<p>The term &#8220;child labor&#8221; is often defined as any work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential, and their dignity, and is detrimental to their physical and psychological development.<\/p>\n<p>Child labor is considered an activity that is dangerous and harmful to the child&#8217;s physical, mental, or moral well-being. In addition, it interferes with their schooling since it deprives them of the possibility of attending classes,\u00a0it forces them to leave school prematurely, or requires them to combine study with heavy and time-consuming work.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">The problem<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>What&#8217;s wrong with child labor? What&#8217;s good about it? These questions were asked at some point by the people who established child protection laws.\u00a0We know perfectly well that each country and culture has different laws and traditions that influence the vision or definition of what child labor is.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14698\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14698\" style=\"width: 374px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14698\" src=\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/agora-2106_13.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"374\" height=\"601\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14698\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Laura Viera A \u00a9 Solkes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>There is also a point that we must clarify and that is that child labor does not refer to collaborating with normal household chores. Nor does it refer to teaching children to be tidy and responsible with their things and their duties.<\/p>\n<p>Child labor refers to being abused, exploited, for example, to help in a family business, to putting their physical or mental integrity at risk.<\/p>\n<p>According to the International Labor Organization, ILO, child labor is work that &#8220;deprives children of their childhood, their potential, and their dignity, and is detrimental to their physical and psychological development&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Children start working for several reasons. Most of the time, this happens because families face financial challenges.<\/p>\n<p>The consequences are breathtaking. Obviously, it can result in extreme bodily and mental harm, and even death. It can also lead to slavery and sexual or economic exploitation.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">Situation in Colombia<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Colombia is a country that has sought to guarantee the rights of child workers and protect them from mistreatment and labor exploitation.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14660\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14660\" style=\"width: 363px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14660\" src=\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/agora-2106_12.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"363\" height=\"601\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14660\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Andrea M Guerrero \u00a9 Solkes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>One of the examples of this is Article 44 of the Political Constitution, which states that: &#8220;&#8230; they shall be protected against all forms of abandonment, physical or moral violence, kidnapping, sale, sexual abuse, labor or economic exploitation and risky work &#8230;&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, Article 35 of Law 1098 of 2006 established the minimum age for a minor under 18 years of age to work, always with the prior authorization of the Ministry of Labor.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.icbf.gov.co\"><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\"><strong>ICBF<\/strong><\/span>)<\/a> has said that &#8220;child labor is a violation of the rights of children and adolescents, as it affects their development process and generates conditions that violate the effective enjoyment of their rights&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>But if work dignifies, why should it be seen as a factor of vulnerability for the rights of the child population?<\/p>\n<p>But, these are laws written on paper. Laws that appear in our constitution and that have been hard work to achieve, are just words.<\/p>\n<p>And why are they just words? Simple: in Colombia, it is common to find a child on the street selling candy, a girl from the rural sector working in domestic service, or a young man under 18 working in the afternoons in a clothing store.<\/p>\n<p>It is also possible to find minors who are the victims of illegal groups or drug traffickers since there are lesser punishments for children who sell or transport drugs than for adults who sell and transport these substances.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">About the foundation<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Before going into detail about the situation of child labor in Colombia, we thought it was important to understand a little about the people who make up Fundaci\u00f3n \u00c1gora.<\/p>\n<p>We had the opportunity to establish contact with Laura Henao, founder of the Agora Foundation. This foundation is dedicated to working against child labor in Huila, Colombia.<\/p>\n<p>Laura Henao lives in Ibague and has dedicated her professional career to helping one of the most affected groups in our country. She works helping working children. She also teaches at two universities in Ibague and Uni Minuto.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">L.Viera:<\/span><\/strong> How was the foundation born?<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">Laura Henao:<\/span><\/strong> The idea of creating this foundation arose from a dream of doing things well, of doing things right. Of being able to contribute to society, of being able to work directly with children. Besides the fact that the issue of childhood in Colombia is an issue that has many public policies, it has a lot of investment. I come from a small municipality that is growing but finally&#8230; I was thinking of&#8230; having the support of a foundation.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14597\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14597\" style=\"width: 996px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-solkes_horizontal wp-image-14598\" src=\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/agora-2106_03.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"996\" height=\"601\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14597\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fundaci\u00f3n Agora \u00a9 Solkes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The foundation works in different types of processes with minors, mostly in rural areas.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">L.Viera:<\/span> <\/strong>What kind of work does Fundaci\u00f3n Agora do?<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">Laura Henao:<\/span><\/strong> What we do in the market places is the prevention of child labor. A type of child labor that is on the borderline between the care of a parent who cannot be at home and the use of this child for commercial purposes in a business selling something. That is the child labor that we are focused on. What we do is talk to the families about the need for these children to be in other, much more protected environments. So, that is what we work on, demystifying a little bit of that image that the child who works from an early age is going to be a responsible adult.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\"><strong>Getting down to business<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Despite all the normative regulations of the Colombian State, including those of an international nature, child labor is still a scenario where minors and adolescents in Colombia see their most fundamental rights, such as education and health, violated.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14644\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14644\" style=\"width: 363px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14644\" src=\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/agora-2106_11.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"363\" height=\"601\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14644\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Betty Boop \u00a9 Solkes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">L.Viera:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>Why is it important to work on the issue of children in Colombia?<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">Laura Henao:<\/span><\/strong> The situation of economic vulnerability that society is experiencing and the consequences of the lack of sustainability of households that make the youngest children have to work to meet basic needs.<\/p>\n<p>In countries such as Colombia (a member state of the ILO), the figures of extreme poverty continue to accelerate, which means that children under 18 are forced to work and leave education, and their aspirations to offer more than their labor force to society on the back burner.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\"><strong>A cultural issue<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Another factor that exacerbates and prolongs this situation is the cultural issue. There is a set of beliefs, values, and customs that impose on minors the psychological burden that they must learn to be strong and mature through work.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">L.Viera:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong> What were some of the specific problems you faced when you started working with this issue?<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">Laura Henao:<\/span><\/strong> The first thing is that one sees a legitimization of child labor in many scenarios. So, they think that since they were working children, there is nothing wrong with their children being workers too. They see nothing wrong with it because they are going to start learning things that school does not teach them: to be responsible, to be able to manage their money.<\/p>\n<p>These families are faced with very complicated situations since they do not have the means to pay someone to take care of their children while they work, nor do they have enough or extra money for them, and even if they did, there are no designated places for these children to spend their free time.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14595\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14595\" style=\"width: 996px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-solkes_horizontal wp-image-14596\" src=\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/agora-2106_02.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"996\" height=\"601\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14595\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fundaci\u00f3n Agora \u00a9 Solkes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>According to Unicef, &#8220;in Colombia, for example, it is considered normal for girls to do most of the housework. It is taken for granted that girls should take care of younger siblings, in addition to doing household chores.<\/p>\n<p>On a daily basis, we may notice that the gender factor has a strong influence on the social and generalized thinking that says that women are dedicated to housework, while men go out into the street to perform heavier jobs. We continue, as a society, in a culture of extremes: macho and feminist, where we inculcate values based on sex and where we maintain ingrained customs that deteriorate the harmonious and integral development of the child population.<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\"><strong>In the market places and other scenarios<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Child labor prevents children from having a decent future.<\/p>\n<p>There are times when they organize and create spaces to help. Spaces like reading circles, to promote education, to give a space in which the lesser ones can simply be minors, without having adult responsibilities but the results are not always the expected ones.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">L.Viera:<\/span> <\/strong>How is the situation in Colombia?<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">Laura Henao:<\/span><\/strong> Something that happens in Colombia is that the rural area is very abandoned, so the abandonment is evident in the fact that there are no education and health conditions close to these dispersed places, so one can easily spend 2 hours walking to school.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14645\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14645\" style=\"width: 996px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-solkes_horizontal wp-image-14646\" src=\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/agora-2106_10.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"996\" height=\"601\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14645\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Betty Boop \u00a9 Solkes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">L.Viera:<\/span> <\/strong> What happens in the marketplaces?<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">Laura Henao:<\/span><\/strong> In the marketplaces, we see a <span style=\"color: #138a8d;\"><strong>mixed workforce<\/strong><\/span> because in the marketplace there are different trades that the children take on. There is the <span style=\"color: #138a8d;\"><strong>agricultural work<\/strong><\/span>, which is the child who arrives in the carts, who brings the food, and who is completely adult. You see him with his machete, with his rubber boots, with his little hat and he comes and unloads. We also see <span style=\"color: #138a8d;\"><strong>the child who is commercializing<\/strong><\/span>, who comes down with his parents, with his mother, and who is in a stall, helping. This child has some guaranteed rights. He studies, but during his working day, he goes to the marketplace to his mother&#8217;s stall. Finally, there is the child who is not installed in any of these economic places; this is <span style=\"color: #138a8d;\"><strong>the child who is &#8220;floating&#8221;<\/strong><\/span>. He is a child who comes to the marketplace to see what he can do; he is looking for possibilities, obviously because he will have a family environment with many deficiencies and the marketplace is close to his home and he is seeing what he can do.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, the activities children are forced to work in often put their lives at risk.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14647\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14647\" style=\"width: 363px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-solkes_horizontal wp-image-14648\" src=\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/agora-2106_09-363x601.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"363\" height=\"601\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14647\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Betty Boop \u00a9 Solkes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">L.Viera:<\/span> <\/strong>Please tell me about other scenarios in which children are exploited.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">Laura Henao:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0Here in Ibague, in particular, there are also worse forms of child labor. we know that in our department, here, there is a high incidence of recruitment of children for illegal groups, that decreased at some point when the children were returned, UNICEF intervened, but now there are reports and early warnings that this is happening again.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">L.Viera:<\/span> <\/strong>How long has this recruitment been reported again?<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">Laura Henao:<\/span><\/strong> This year the reports have started. The denunciations begin in municipalities in the south of Tolima. They can be traced through newspaper articles and so on. There is an organization called the defensor\u00eda del pueblo and they have&#8230; early alerts, and they say that children are being recruited.\u00a0Another of the worst forms is children who are in micro-trafficking, carrying or bringing some kind of psychoactive substances, who are selling&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">L.Viera:<\/span> <\/strong> Involved in drug trafficking?<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">Laura Henao:<\/span><\/strong> Of course, but it is the micro-trafficking in the neighborhoods, the children go out and sell, because if they are caught the penalties will not be so high.\u00a0We are talking about situations of a very complex level. They completely violate all children&#8217;s rights and safety, but to have carnal access to can be seen as one of the highest forms of exploitation.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">L.Viera:<\/span> <\/strong> How do you work on the issue of sexual exploitation?<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">Laura Henao:<\/span><\/strong> Here in Ibagu\u00e9 there is a specific committee for the prevention of sexual and commercial exploitation of children. As a foundation, we are invited to this committee so that they can talk and take joint actions, because here we have a road corridor, and much of the transportation from one side of the country to the other passes through Ibagu\u00e9. They don&#8217;t really care if is they are having sexual contact with adults or minors.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"td_quote_box td_box_right\">\n<h4>If the child means a saving of a labor force or a person&#8217;s salary, we are talking about child labor, not aid.<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">L.Viera:<\/span> <\/strong>What do you as a foundation do in that sense?<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">Laura Henao:<\/span><\/strong> In that sense, what we do is to support, when we are invited to these government work tables, but that is not what we do because they are problems that require the establishment of rights, that the police are there, and so on. So, it is not the direct responsibility of social and civil organizations because they require another type of procedure.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">The dangers<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Child labor is dangerous and can harm the health of the youngest children.<\/p>\n<p>Children forced to work cannot go to school or do not have time to study at home and do their homework, which affects their performance and chances of pursuing higher education.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"td_quote_box td_box_center\">\n<h4>There is a legitimacy of all those who are around, of all the adults, even the people who go to the market place to shop. That is why I say that it is a very complex cultural issue&#8230; there is not an issue of how we are going to protect the child, but there is an issue of admiration. That is why these attitudes that these children exhibit are totally adult.\u00a0&#8211; Laura Henao-<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The most affected are children living in developing countries, where families suffer more economic hardship.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">The pandemic<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Millions of children worldwide are at risk of being forced to work as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, which could lead to an increase in the worst forms of child labor.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14637\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14637\" style=\"width: 363px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-solkes_horizontal wp-image-14638\" src=\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/agora-2106_07-363x601.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"363\" height=\"601\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14637\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fundaci\u00f3n Agora \u00a9 Solkes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Among these is the fact that many children are suffering the loss of one or both parents or guardians. In countries such as Mexico, Mali, and Tanzania, it has been seen that, when this happens, minors quickly take over household chores.<\/p>\n<p>For their part, different Colombian armed groups are taking advantage of the crisis situation to recruit children in order to make them commit crimes or sexually exploit them. In Colombia, indigenous children are the most susceptible to recruitment by these armed groups.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">L.Viera:<\/span><\/strong> How has the pandemic affected child labor in the marketplaces?<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">Laura Henao:<\/span><\/strong> With the pandemic issue, we have not visited marketplaces again. Since the children are not attending an educational setting due to the pandemic, maybe they are working on something else, don&#8217;t you think?<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Whatever the triggering factor of child labor, the truth is that it has a negative impact on the health and emotional, spiritual, and psychological stability of children under 18 years of age when such work does not allow children or adolescents to enjoy each of the stages of their development.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #138a8d;\">I<\/span>t is not the same to say that a child has to work after reaching the age of majority than to start working from an early age in jobs that assault the dreams of a child&#8217;s brain; it is not the same to say that a child performs a job inclined towards his cultural, artistic or sports development than to say that he has to work out of necessity or because it is imposed on him.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are those who argue that work dignifies man. This is what is thought, given that in this way people are credited with being able to perform in a useful way in society. However, when it comes to children, this issue must be looked at with different eyes. The term &#8220;child labor&#8221; is often defined [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":76,"featured_media":14598,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13861","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-leaving-a-mark"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Agora - Solkes Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Agora - Solkes Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"There are those who argue that work dignifies man. This is what is thought, given that in this way people are credited with being able to perform in a useful way in society. However, when it comes to children, this issue must be looked at with different eyes. The term &#8220;child labor&#8221; is often defined [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Solkes Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/solkesmagazinee\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-06-03T08:00:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/agora-2106_03.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"996\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"601\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Laura Viera A.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Laura Viera A.\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"13 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Laura Viera A.\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#\/schema\/person\/54684f1c0bebcaff4d6b3f1ec2e71e91\"},\"headline\":\"The Agora\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-06-03T08:00:13+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/\"},\"wordCount\":2587,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/agora-2106_03.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Leaving a Mark\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/\",\"name\":\"The Agora - Solkes Magazine\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/agora-2106_03.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-06-03T08:00:13+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/agora-2106_03.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/agora-2106_03.jpg\",\"width\":996,\"height\":601,\"caption\":\"Fundaci\u00f3n Agora \u00a9 Solkes\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Portada\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/solkes-magazine-home\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Agora\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/\",\"name\":\"Solkes Magazine\",\"description\":\"solkes.com\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Solkes Magazine\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/logo-SOLKES-820px-x-312px.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/logo-SOLKES-820px-x-312px.png\",\"width\":411,\"height\":303,\"caption\":\"Solkes Magazine\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/solkesmagazinee\/\",\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/solkesmagazine\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#\/schema\/person\/54684f1c0bebcaff4d6b3f1ec2e71e91\",\"name\":\"Laura Viera A.\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7b6a8bb956f5279e99babca11ed31351716b19f59e9e3e989847c0ca9e0c5d9?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7b6a8bb956f5279e99babca11ed31351716b19f59e9e3e989847c0ca9e0c5d9?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Laura Viera A.\"},\"description\":\"Fundadora y Directora Editorial de Solkes Magazine Es periodista de vocaci\u00f3n y formaci\u00f3n. Estudi\u00f3 Comunicaci\u00f3n Social con \u00e9nfasis en Periodismo en la Pontificia Universidad Javeriana de Bogot\u00e1, Colombia. Desde muy joven sinti\u00f3 una profunda pasi\u00f3n por contar historias, explorar el mundo y dar voz a quienes no la tienen. Su compromiso con los Derechos Humanos ha sido una constante en su trayectoria, participando activamente en proyectos sociales desde temprana edad. Este inter\u00e9s se refleja en el enfoque editorial de Solkes, una revista que prioriza el periodismo independiente, la diversidad cultural y la profundidad narrativa. Laura naci\u00f3 en Bogot\u00e1, vivi\u00f3 tres a\u00f1os en Madrid, Espa\u00f1a, y desde el verano de 2010 reside en Alemania. Esta experiencia multicultural ha enriquecido su perspectiva y ha sido clave para la creaci\u00f3n de una revista triling\u00fce que trasciende fronteras y conecta a lectores de distintas partes del mundo. ******************************************************************************************* Founder and Editorial Director of Solkes Magazine She is a passionate journalist by vocation and training. She studied Mass Communication with an emphasis on Journalism at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogot\u00e1, Colombia. From a young age, she was deeply motivated to tell stories, explore the world, and give a voice to those who often go unheard. Her commitment to Human Rights has been a constant throughout her career, actively participating in social projects since early on. This dedication is reflected in Solkes Magazine\u2019s editorial focus on independent journalism, cultural diversity, and in-depth storytelling. Born in Bogot\u00e1, Laura lived in Madrid, Spain for three years, and has been residing in Germany since the summer of 2010. This multicultural experience has enriched her perspective and played a key role in creating a trilingual magazine that transcends borders and connects readers from around the world. ******************************************************************************************* Gr\u00fcnderin und Chefredakteurin von Solkes Magazine Laura Viera ist eine leidenschaftliche Journalistin aus Berufung und Ausbildung. Sie hat Soziale Kommunikation mit Schwerpunkt Journalismus an der Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogot\u00e1, Kolumbien, studiert. Schon in jungen Jahren war sie stark motiviert, Geschichten zu erz\u00e4hlen, die Welt zu erkunden und denen eine Stimme zu geben, die oft ungeh\u00f6rt bleiben. Ihr Engagement f\u00fcr Menschenrechte begleitet sie seit Beginn ihrer Laufbahn. Sie war von Anfang an aktiv an sozialen Projekten beteiligt. Dieses Engagement spiegelt sich auch im redaktionellen Fokus von Solkes Magazine wider, das unabh\u00e4ngigen Journalismus, kulturelle Vielfalt und tiefgr\u00fcndiges Erz\u00e4hlen in den Vordergrund stellt. Geboren in Bogot\u00e1, lebte Laura drei Jahre in Madrid, Spanien, und lebt seit Sommer 2010 in Deutschland. Diese multikulturelle Erfahrung hat ihre Perspektive bereichert und war entscheidend bei der Gr\u00fcndung eines dreisprachigen Magazins, das Grenzen \u00fcberschreitet und Leser weltweit verbindet.\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/www.solkes.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/author\/lauraviera2019\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Agora - Solkes Magazine","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Agora - Solkes Magazine","og_description":"There are those who argue that work dignifies man. This is what is thought, given that in this way people are credited with being able to perform in a useful way in society. However, when it comes to children, this issue must be looked at with different eyes. The term &#8220;child labor&#8221; is often defined [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/","og_site_name":"Solkes Magazine","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/solkesmagazinee\/","article_published_time":"2021-06-03T08:00:13+00:00","og_image":[{"width":996,"height":601,"url":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/agora-2106_03.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Laura Viera A.","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Laura Viera A.","Est. reading time":"13 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/"},"author":{"name":"Laura Viera A.","@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#\/schema\/person\/54684f1c0bebcaff4d6b3f1ec2e71e91"},"headline":"The Agora","datePublished":"2021-06-03T08:00:13+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/"},"wordCount":2587,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/agora-2106_03.jpg","articleSection":["Leaving a Mark"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/","url":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/","name":"The Agora - Solkes Magazine","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/agora-2106_03.jpg","datePublished":"2021-06-03T08:00:13+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/agora-2106_03.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/agora-2106_03.jpg","width":996,"height":601,"caption":"Fundaci\u00f3n Agora \u00a9 Solkes"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/leaving-a-mark\/2021\/06\/the-agora\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Portada","item":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/solkes-magazine-home\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Agora"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/","name":"Solkes Magazine","description":"solkes.com","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#organization","name":"Solkes Magazine","url":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/logo-SOLKES-820px-x-312px.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/logo-SOLKES-820px-x-312px.png","width":411,"height":303,"caption":"Solkes Magazine"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/solkesmagazinee\/","https:\/\/instagram.com\/solkesmagazine\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#\/schema\/person\/54684f1c0bebcaff4d6b3f1ec2e71e91","name":"Laura Viera A.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7b6a8bb956f5279e99babca11ed31351716b19f59e9e3e989847c0ca9e0c5d9?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7b6a8bb956f5279e99babca11ed31351716b19f59e9e3e989847c0ca9e0c5d9?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","caption":"Laura Viera A."},"description":"Fundadora y Directora Editorial de Solkes Magazine Es periodista de vocaci\u00f3n y formaci\u00f3n. Estudi\u00f3 Comunicaci\u00f3n Social con \u00e9nfasis en Periodismo en la Pontificia Universidad Javeriana de Bogot\u00e1, Colombia. Desde muy joven sinti\u00f3 una profunda pasi\u00f3n por contar historias, explorar el mundo y dar voz a quienes no la tienen. Su compromiso con los Derechos Humanos ha sido una constante en su trayectoria, participando activamente en proyectos sociales desde temprana edad. Este inter\u00e9s se refleja en el enfoque editorial de Solkes, una revista que prioriza el periodismo independiente, la diversidad cultural y la profundidad narrativa. Laura naci\u00f3 en Bogot\u00e1, vivi\u00f3 tres a\u00f1os en Madrid, Espa\u00f1a, y desde el verano de 2010 reside en Alemania. Esta experiencia multicultural ha enriquecido su perspectiva y ha sido clave para la creaci\u00f3n de una revista triling\u00fce que trasciende fronteras y conecta a lectores de distintas partes del mundo. ******************************************************************************************* Founder and Editorial Director of Solkes Magazine She is a passionate journalist by vocation and training. She studied Mass Communication with an emphasis on Journalism at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogot\u00e1, Colombia. From a young age, she was deeply motivated to tell stories, explore the world, and give a voice to those who often go unheard. Her commitment to Human Rights has been a constant throughout her career, actively participating in social projects since early on. This dedication is reflected in Solkes Magazine\u2019s editorial focus on independent journalism, cultural diversity, and in-depth storytelling. Born in Bogot\u00e1, Laura lived in Madrid, Spain for three years, and has been residing in Germany since the summer of 2010. This multicultural experience has enriched her perspective and played a key role in creating a trilingual magazine that transcends borders and connects readers from around the world. ******************************************************************************************* Gr\u00fcnderin und Chefredakteurin von Solkes Magazine Laura Viera ist eine leidenschaftliche Journalistin aus Berufung und Ausbildung. Sie hat Soziale Kommunikation mit Schwerpunkt Journalismus an der Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogot\u00e1, Kolumbien, studiert. Schon in jungen Jahren war sie stark motiviert, Geschichten zu erz\u00e4hlen, die Welt zu erkunden und denen eine Stimme zu geben, die oft ungeh\u00f6rt bleiben. Ihr Engagement f\u00fcr Menschenrechte begleitet sie seit Beginn ihrer Laufbahn. Sie war von Anfang an aktiv an sozialen Projekten beteiligt. Dieses Engagement spiegelt sich auch im redaktionellen Fokus von Solkes Magazine wider, das unabh\u00e4ngigen Journalismus, kulturelle Vielfalt und tiefgr\u00fcndiges Erz\u00e4hlen in den Vordergrund stellt. Geboren in Bogot\u00e1, lebte Laura drei Jahre in Madrid, Spanien, und lebt seit Sommer 2010 in Deutschland. Diese multikulturelle Erfahrung hat ihre Perspektive bereichert und war entscheidend bei der Gr\u00fcndung eines dreisprachigen Magazins, das Grenzen \u00fcberschreitet und Leser weltweit verbindet.","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.solkes.com"],"url":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/author\/lauraviera2019\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13861","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/76"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13861"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13861\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14708,"href":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13861\/revisions\/14708"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14598"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13861"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13861"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/solkes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13861"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}