Challenging stories about child domestic work: evidence from South-West Nigeria

Abstract

This paper answers some salient questions about poverty and child domestic work (CDW) and discusses other reasons for working in domestic service beyond absolute deprivation. Drawing from findings from an ethnographic study, I argue that working in domestic service remains a viable option for many households in a society without a functioning social welfare system. While the focus on harm has dominated discussions on and campaigns against CDW, it has not significantly reduced its prevalence. From the standpoint of child domestic workers and/or their families, the consideration of certain benefits underlies their involvement in this type of work. I argue for the need to retell stories about child domestic work in ways that recognise the complexities involved in the arrangements without denying its exploitative tendencies.