Elimination Of Child Labour Research Articles

The Impact of Child Labour on Children’s Educational Achievement in Ganta Afeshum Woreda, Tigray State, Ethiopia

Child labour is an important aspect of social and economic reality that surrounds us although it is sometimes unnoticed. It is the severe problem of the world in general and the sub-Saharan countries like Ethiopia in particular in which children are considered an asset and means to improve livelihood of their family at the expense of their education. The attempt towards the elimination of child labor in Ethiopia is still lagging compare to the rest world. This in turn is affecting adversely the accumulation of human capital. Thus, the researcher was intended to assess the impact of Child Labour on Children’s Educational Achievement in Ganta Afeshum Woreda and give the possible solution to overcome this problem. To realize this objective, the researcher employed qualitative approach and used in depth interview, FGD, key informant interview, personal observation data collection instruments and employed descriptive research and purposive sampling technique. The researcher analyzed the finding qualitatively through interpretation, description and summarization of the data. As the finding of the study indicates child labour is sever in rural area than urban area and also girls are more exposed for child labour than boys, children are involved in domestic and non-domestic productive activities. The attitude of communities toward child labour is also positive; they consider children as valuable asset for contributing family income. The views of households on working children arise commonly from their poor knowledge about the issue and is directed by traditional outlooks of uprooting ‘milk teeth’, that is seen as a shift from childhood to adulthood. As the finding indicates, Child labour has an impact on children’s educational achievement by making them: repeated the class, absenteeism from class, drop out, make very tired, shortage of times for study and reducing the chance to access education, beside this, as the finding indicate attitude of the communities, employers, poverty coupled with limited access to credit, health and family size as well as the abusive practices are the challenges that hamper eliminating of child labour. Finally, as the finding indicate the local administrator strategy of employing one sector, one children and work with NGOs, private sector and public sectors play significant role via improving the future childhood of children.

Implementation of a project-based comprehensive monitoring and evaluation strategy in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire: Key lessons

Background: The quest for an appropriate monitoring and evaluation (M&E) design that delivers accountability, supports management and facilitates learning is one that many organisations grapple with. Over the years, experiences in project and/or programme development and delivery led the International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour of the International Labour Organization (ILO-IPEC) to consolidate M&E efforts towards the development of a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation strategy.Objectives: The aim of this article is to present lessons from the design and implementation of a theory of change-driven comprehensive monitoring and evaluation strategy in a child labour project rolled out in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. The 5-year project was implemented during 2011–2015 by ILO-IPEC with support from the United States Department of Labour (USDOL).Methods: This article critically analyses project documents (including evaluations) and captures the reflections and experiences of key project staff involved in the project.Results: Timeless lessons are distilled, along with key phases of the project cycle. Critical markers include the importance of stakeholders’ involvement in the design and development of a M&E strategy as a pre-requisite for buy-in and uptake. We find capacity building not just as a box to be ticked but an iterative process to improve knowledge, transfer skills and support learning. In addition to paying attention to technical elements, the soft issues of patience, flexibility and simplicity are discussed as invaluable ingredients for realising M&E goals.Conclusion: While not exhaustive, it is hoped that these lessons would contribute to a minimum set of guidelines for improving M&E practice within projects and programmes.

Estimating the economic incentives necessary for eliminating child labor in Ghanaian cocoa production.

Concerns about the use of child labor in West African cocoa production became widespread in the early 2000s in many high-income countries. In 2015 in Ghana, 91.8% (or a total of 878,595) of the children working in the cocoa sector were involved in a form of hazardous work. Child labor in cocoa production is not just a symptom of poverty but also a contributing factor, as children often forgo a formal education to work in cocoa orchards. Current Ghanaian law prohibits child labor, but, with many cocoa households living in poverty, child labor becomes a necessity for survival, and as such, current child labor laws are rarely enforced. Therefore, an effective policy that eliminates child labor could compensate farmers by providing an economic incentive. In this paper, we develop and calibrate a farm household model to estimate the cocoa price premium necessary to eliminate child labor from cocoa production while leaving the farm household welfare unchanged. This welfare-neutral price premium removes the negative effects of eliminating child labor for the farm household. Varying degrees of child labor exists, with certain forms posing a greater risk to children’s wellbeing. The results show that eliminating the worst forms of child labor would require a cocoa price premium of 2.81% and eliminating regular work (non-hazardous work but over the maximum hours allowed for a child) and the worst forms would require an 11.81% premium, which could be paid for by the well-established Ghanaian Cocoa Marketing Board. An incentive for the Cocoa Marketing Board to pay the price premium and monitor and enforce this policy would be the ability to differentiate their cocoa as child-labor free and not lose market share to countries who cannot currently certify this practice.

Positioning Agency of Migrant Street Working Children in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Ethiopia is among the poorest countries of the world in which many children do not have access to a quality education, and many children are engaged in child labour. The study aims to explain the interplay of factors for independent migration and street working experience of children. The article adopted an ethnographic qualitative research method. In-depth interviews, observation, and informal discussions were important tools of data collection. The findings show that independent migration is an important component of working children on streets of Addis Ababa. Children exercise their agency to migrate and engage in a certain kinds of street activities. Most of them migrate from rural areas for non-economic reasons. Street activities are gendered as well as generationally divided. These children have positioned themselves as workers and streets as their workplaces. Despite their agency, they are vulnerable to different structural problems. Hence, blaming child street workers cannot be an effective means of eliminating child labour.

Child Labour Laws in South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe: A Comparative Analysis

This article reports on a study that investigated the effectiveness of child labour laws intended to promote child rights and the protection of children from unfair and forced labour. Legal scholars distinguish between child work and child labour: forced child labour manifests itself in abusing children sexually, forcing children to work on farms, and compromising children’s rights to education. Although South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia have laws in place to protect children from child labour, the abuse of children continues in these countries. Furthermore, although these three countries are signatories to conventions of the International Labour Organisation that seek to eliminate child labour, they have been unable to stem the tide of child labour. This article argues that there is a need for the three countries to work closely together to implement policies that reverse or fight against child labour. The researchers used a qualitative methodology to interpret the variations in the application of child labour laws. They found there are no harmonised laws to deal with child labour in South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Hence, this article recommends that an independent supranational organisation be established in Southern Africa to monitor, evaluate, and implement progressive laws to eradicate child labour in line with internationally recognised best practices as set out in child labour laws.

The ILO’s Endeavour to Eliminate Child Labour Worldwide: A Discourse on Legitimacy and Standards Fit for Purpose

The article examines the extent to which International Labour standards (ILS) have contributed to combating child labour. Child labour is regarded as an impediment to children’s development and their human rights. The ILO’s endeavour to improve labour relations and eradicate child labour globally has seen the organisation engaged in adopting Conventions and Recommendations focusing on current critical issues in the labour environment. The idea that the International labour Organisation is a necessity which the world has been waiting for years (Thomas, 1921: p. 5, 22) is underpinned by the working mechanisms that are well accepted among member states. More significantly, the optimism of the founders and their desire to thrive were the driving forces necessary to put the ILO on the track to longevity. Hence, the article evaluates the working mechanisms of the organisation which facilitate the materialisation of its approaches to various labour issues. The approach taken is a textual analysis and justification of the International Labour Standards (ILS). The article concludes that the ILO has the legitimacy to set international labour standards and that its standards are fit for purpose. Indeed in the light of its focus, its working mechanism, and its efficient approach to labour issues, the ILO cannot be denied the status of “most adequate institution” in addressing child labour issues with a view to eradicating the phenomenon worldwide.

Between norms and practice: Civil society perspectives on the legitimacy of multistakeholder initiatives to eliminate child labor

AbstractChild labor in global supply chains is increasingly addressed through multistakeholder initiatives. However, the participation of stakeholders with distinct views and interests can generate tensions. Based on interviews with civil society actors, this research finds that tensions exist between the normative‐ethical and political‐strategic dimensions of multistakeholder initiatives, which are manifest in the existence of international and national norms and their contextual application, in definitions of child labor, risk and responsibility, and in doubts about corporate incentives to join multistakeholder initiatives. In addition, tensions exist concerning the effectiveness of supply chain auditing, enabling broader labor rights as a means to remediate child labor, and whether standards need to be mandatory or self‐regulation suffices. The success of collaboration depends on the effective navigation of these tensions. Failure to do so can undermine the legitimacy of multistakeholder initiatives from the perspective of civil society actors. The research finds that due diligence, in the shape of human rights risk assessments, is not subject to normative‐ethical/political‐strategic tensions, and can play a key role in the success of multistakeholder initiatives and the fight against child labor.

The Tobacco Industry and Children's Rights.

The manufacture, use, and marketing of tobacco present a serious threat to children's right to health. This makes the Convention on the Rights of the Child a potentially powerful tobacco-control tool and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), which oversees the convention's implementation, a potential leader in tobacco control. UNICEF actively supported tobacco control initiatives in the late 1990s, but since the early 2000s UNICEF's role in tobacco control has been minimal. Using the Truth Tobacco Industry Documents library, an online collection of previously secret tobacco industry documents, we sought to uncover information on the tobacco industry's ties with UNICEF. We found that from 1997 to 2000, when UNICEF was actively promoting tobacco control to support children's rights, the tobacco industry saw children's rights and UNICEF as potentially powerful threats to business that needed to be closely monitored and neutralized. The industry then positioned itself as a partner with UNICEF on youth smoking prevention initiatives as a way to avoid meaningful tobacco control measures that could save children's lives. After UNICEF's corporate engagement guidelines were loosened in 2003, tobacco companies successfully engaged with UNICEF directly and via front groups, including the Eliminating Child Labour in Tobacco Growing Foundation. This was part of an overall tobacco industry strategy to improve its corporate image, infiltrate the United Nations, and weaken global tobacco-control efforts. As part of its mission to protect children's rights, UNICEF should end all partnerships with the tobacco industry and its front groups.

Health related issues among the child labor

Child labor is a worldwide phenomenon but more focus is required on developing countries. The policy framework of International Labor Organization (ILO) to eliminate child labor is based on United Nations (UN) Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at work (1998). Over 170 million children worldwide still work in order to sustain their basic needs. Children are future citizens of the Nation and their adequate development is utmost priority of the country. Unfortunately, child labor engulfs children across the world. The world is home to 1.2 billion individuals aged 10-19 years. Many children are “hidden workers” working in homes or in the underground economy. Although the Constitution of India guarantees free and compulsory education to children between the age of 6 to 14 and prohibits employment of children younger than 14 in 18 hazardous occupations, child labor is still prevalent in the informal sectors of the Indian economy. Child labor violates human rights and is in contravention of the International Labor Organization (Article 32, Convention Rights of the Child). About one-third of children of the developing world are failing to complete even 4 years of education. Indian population has more than 17.5 million working children in different industries, and incidentally maximum are in the agricultural sector, leather industry, mining and match-making industries, etc.

Globalisation and child labour: evidence from India

Child labour is a complex problem basically rooted in poverty. The Government of India has formulated policies since the economic reforms of the early 1990s. Children under fourteen comprise 3.6 per cent of the total labour force in India. Nearly eighty-five per cent are engaged in the traditional agricultural sector, less than nine per cent in manufacturing, services and repairs and only about 0.8 per cent are in factories. The elimination of child labour is a priority and is being implemented at the grass roots level in India. A large number of non-governmental and voluntary organizations are involved in this process along with national and international organisations. This paper reviews the child labour situation in India and analyses the effect of globalisation on child labour.

Child Labour in Beedi Making - At a Glance

Education is a key factor for the wholesome development of an individual as well as our Nation building. Education is a powerful weapon to eradicate poverty, unemployment and underemployment and hunger from our country. Children who are drawn to child labour are basically driven because of economic deprivation and lack of schooling and engagement of family for their daily needs. Child comes in many forms. If can be visible or invisible many children work at dumpsites, cut stones, work in small factories, car workshops or as a carrier in ports or on construction sites, parents also sent their out to go begging on the streets, other work as prostitutes or domestic slaves. Over 1.7 million children work as laborers in India’s beedi-rolling. This information was released on children’s day by public health organization, NGOs and there are some studies which have found that there is low enrolment in schools with increased rates of child employment. School education is the most important platform for early intervention against child labour. The National Child Labour Project (NCLP) scheme was launched in nine districts which are observed to have a high prevalence of child labour in the country. Under the scheme funds are given to the district collectors for running special schools with the objective of eliminating child labour. Most of these schools are run by the Non-Governmental organizations in the districts. Under the scheme those children are provided formal and informal education along with vocational training at a stipend of Rs.100 per month and health check-up are also done for them. Few abuses of human rights are so universally condemned, but at the same time so universally practiced as child labour. This issue should rank high on the global agenda but in practice, it is surrounded by a wall of silence and perpetuated by ignorance. Child labour continues to be an affront to the conscience of the world community

Relative Contribution of Child Labour to Household Farm and Non-Farm Income in Ghana: Simulation with Child's Education

Child labourers play an integral role in households’ income diversification process by contributing to farm and non-farm incomes but policies, including that of the ILO have focused largely on eliminating child labour from the agricultural sector through education. This study sought to ascertain the relative contribution of child labourers to farm and non-farm income using the GLSS6 data and employed a SUR estimation that simulated, empirically, with child’s education. Findings showed that as a child labourer spends more time in school, every Gh₵1.00 contributed to farm income is accompanied by a Gh₵2.12 contribution towards non-farm income. By implication, child education policy removes child labourers from the farm but are likely to have a paradoxical effect of pushing these children into non-farm activities as they engage in them after school and during weekends. The suggestion is that governments must provide adequate remuneration for workers and pay a good price for agricultural products so that households do not use children as instruments to diversity their income portfolios, since child labour acts as a push factor in the diversification process.

Relative Contribution of Child Labour to Household Farm and Non-Farm Income in Ghana: Simulation with Child's Education

Child labourers play an integral role in households’ income diversification process by contributing to farm and non-farm incomes but policies, including that of the ILO have focused largely on eliminating child labour from the agricultural sector through education. This study sought to ascertain the relative contribution of child labourers to farm and non-farm income using the GLSS6 data and employed a SUR estimation that simulated, empirically, with child’s education. Findings showed that as a child labourer spends more time in school, every Gh₵1.00 contributed to farm income is accompanied by a Gh₵2.12 contribution towards non-farm income. By implication, child education policy removes child labourers from the farm but are likely to have a paradoxical effect of pushing these children into non-farm activities as they engage in them after school and during weekends. The suggestion is that governments must provide adequate remuneration for workers and pay a good price for agricultural products so that households do not use children as instruments to diversity their income portfolios, since child labour acts as a push factor in the diversification process.

Bibliography

Bibliography

Child labor, idiosyncratic shocks, and social policy

In this paper, we provide a dynamic model with heterogeneous agents to study child labor in an economy with idiosyncratic shocks to employment. Households facing adverse shocks may use child labor as a means to smooth consumption. We show that the introduction of an unemployment insurance program and/or a universal basic income system helps eliminate child labor endogenously in this context. A calibration to South Africa in the 1990s is provided.

Education and Health Status of Child Workers of Dhaka City

Children are the future of the country. Every child has the right to grow up in the right way. But it is a matter of great regret that child labor is highly prevalent in this country, and all child workers are deprived of their rights. Child workers are engaged in various types of works in Bangladesh. Many of the jobs that children perform in this country are considered hazardous and put their physical and mental development at risk. Child labor is work that deprives children of a childhood and affects their health and education. So, the government should take effective steps to withdraw children from hazardous jobs and offer incentives to attend school and improve law enforcement to eliminate child labor.
 JEL Classification Code: J13; I18; K32

Exposure to maltreatment and urban violence in children working on the streets in São Paulo, Brazil: factors associated with street work.

To quantitatively study the exposure to childhood maltreatment and urban violence in children from families with at least one child working on the streets and to investigate the relationship between these factors and street work. Families who participated in a nongovernmental organization (NGO) program to eliminate child labor were included. Data concerning sociodemographic characteristics, punishment methods used in the family environment against the children, five types of abuse and neglect perpetrated by the caregivers, urban violence exposure and family functioning were collected. The sample included 126 children who were working on the streets and 65 siblings who were not working on the streets. Caregivers reported high levels of severe physical punishment. The children reported high levels of abuse and neglect, and high levels of urban violence exposure. The families showed a predominance of dysfunctional and unsatisfactory relationships. A multiple logistic regression model showed that age older than 12 years and severe physical punishment at home were associated with street work. Interventions to decrease the risk of child street work should be family-focused and should aim to reduce violence in the family environment.

Factors predicting home delivery among women in Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma district of Ghana: A case control study

International Journal of Medicine and Public Health,2014,4,3,287-291.DOI:10.4103/2230-8598.137719Published:Jul 2014Type:Original ArticleFactors predicting home delivery among women in Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma district of Ghana: A case control studyMoses L Nanang, and Albert Atabila Moses L Nanang1, Albert Atabila2 1Department of Global Outreach, American College of Nurse- Midwives (ACNM), Bolgatanga, 2International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour, International Labour Organisation, Accra, Ghana Abstract:Background: Maternal mortality is unacceptably high in Ghana. This situation is attributed partly to non-availability of healthcare services and poor utilization of these services when they are available. More deliveries are still performed at home, and in many cases, without the supervision of trained attendants, despite the Ghana Government’s fee exemption policy on maternal deliveries. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that predict home delivery among mothers. Materials and Methods: An unmatched case control study was conducted among mothers in the Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma district of Ghana. A total of 114 mothers consisting of 54 cases and 60 controls participated in the study. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select participants of the study. Data were collected using pre-tested questionnaires and analyzed using EPIINFO (3.3) and STATA (8.2) statistical software. Results: Mothers aged 31 years and above (AOR 3.00, 95% CI: 1.16-7.74) and those with primary or no formal education (AOR 3.88, 95% CI: 1.60-9.46) were more likely to deliver at home. Also, the risk of home delivery for mothers with more antenatal care (ANC) clinic visits was less by 0.3 (30%) (AOR 0.70, 95% CI: 0.53-0.88). Conclusion: The factors influencing home delivery among mothers were maternal ages of 31 years and above, primary or no formal education, and less than four ANC visits. Interventions aimed at improving female education, increasing the number of ANC visits, and providing counselling, follow-up, and support to older pregnant mothers are recommended to increase the number of women who deliver in healthcare facilities. Keywords:Ghana, maternal and child health, maternal factors, maternal mortality, place of deliveryView:PDF (481.65 KB)

Eliminating Child Labour through Public–Private Partnership (PPP)

The paper focuses on increasing attention on child labour in developing as well as in developed countries. A number of factors have contributed to this development which are discussed in view of perception that the exploitation of child labour has become more serious and could well continue to do so in several parts of the world: employment of children at an age and under conditions that do not conform to universally accepted standards, rights of children in particular in many countries. It gives an overview of the major approaches of practical action in the struggle against child labour.

As medidas de enfrentamento à exploração do trabalho infantil no Brasil: forças em luta

O objetivo deste artigo é refletir sobre as soluções encontradas para o problema da exploração do trabalho infantil no Brasil. Para isso, apresenta as atuais políticas públicas destinadas à eliminação do trabalho infantil no país - legislação, políticas de transferência de renda e de escolarização - e revela, por meio de dados do IBGE, a persistência da exploração do trabalho infantil. Procura, assim, mostrar que, embora as políticas públicas para a erradicação do trabalho infantil sejam importantes, o problema persiste, pois as medidas para enfrentá-lo não atingem as suas origens.