Networks, social ties, and informal employment of Bangladeshi street children

Abstract

Despite a plethora of research on the lives of street children globally, little is known about how they find employment in competitive, informal economies in developing countries. To understand how children connect to informal jobs through street relationships, 75 street children ranging from 10 to 17 years old were interviewed in three sites in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. Findings show that social networks play a crucial role in finding work. Network ties help children find new jobs, as network members provide job information, recommend friends or acquaintances to employers, and persuade the employers to hire them. Friends often voluntarily train those who are self-employed in the informal service sectors or those who intend to switch to a new job.