Child Labor Research Articles

CHILD MIGRATION TRENDS IN INDIA: INSIGHTS FROM NATIONAL DATASETS

The child migration in India is a complex socio-economic phenomenon profoundly impacting childrens well-being and development. This paper analyzes trends and vulnerabilities among child migrants using national datasets, focusing on education, health, and socio-economic disparities.The study identifies a significant increase in internal migration, predominantly rural, driven by familial and economic factors. Gender disparities show higher migration rates among boys, influenced by socio-cultural norms and economic incentives. The regional disparities highlight Goa, Kerala, and Maharashtra as key migration hubs, shaped by economic opportunities and cultural dynamics. Despite higher literacy rates, migrant children face challenges like early employment and educational disruptions. Health outcomes vary, with improved nutrition but lower immunization coverage compared to non-migrant peers.Child marriage rates among migrant girls underscore socio-economic inequities. Vulnerability analysis reveals risks among economically disadvantaged and rural migrants, necessitating targeted policy interventions. The policy recommendations stress legal enforcement against child marriage and robust implementation of education and child labor laws. Collaborative efforts involving government, NGOs, and communities are crucial to address the needs of child migrants, especially from marginalized groups.This research paper informs inclusive policies to protect child migrants rights and opportunities, aiming for a more equitable societal framework.

Review of Capability of Methods for the Verification of Country of Origin for Food and Feed

Country of origin is defined as the country where food or feed is entirely grown, produced, or manufactured, or, if produced in more than one country, where it last underwent a substantial change. In the UK, EU-assimilated legislation states that indication of the country of origin is a mandatory labelling requirement for food and feed, including products such as meat, vegetables, eggs, honey and wine. The country of origin claim plays an important role for consumers who tend to relate certain country of origin labelling to superior quality or brand identity. Patriotism (or ethnocentrism) can also play a role in consumer food choice. In Europe, there are 3500 products with a specific geographical origin and their production methods are officially protected (Protected Designation of Origin = PDO; Protected Geographical Indication = PGI; Geographical Indication (for spirit drinks) = GI). These goods often carry a premium price. In addition to customer preference and sale price, country of origin claims are important to businesses when they seek to (i) monitor food miles (carbon footprint), (ii) ensure sustainable sourcing of, for example soy and palm oil (including new Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 on deforestation-free products), (iii) avoid trading of goods which are subject to sanctions, (iv) reassure consumers over concerns of farming and animal welfare standards, (v) avoid foods which are linked to exploitation of farm workers, enforced, or child labour. ‘Verification’ of geographical origin involves testing against a database to confirm that the data for a sample are consistent with those for that geographical location as claimed on a product label. Verification therefore does not involve testing a sample from an unknown location to unequivocally identify its provenance, as such methods are not available or are extremely limited in scope.

The Children Theatre Artist's Perspectives On Child’s Rights And Child’s Labour In The Digital Age.

A child is a minor, younger person being under the age of infancy and puberty. According to the Nigeria Rights Act of 2003 a child is a human being under the age of 18 years that is under the strict control and protection of parents/guardians. He/she have legal rights accrue to him/her, such right cut across the social, economic, cultural, and religious duties; they are beneficial to the growth and development of the child. These rights are undermined daily; therefore, the child is subjected to child labour given a demeaning job and inhuman treatment. The theatre as the third eye that mirrors the society, creates awareness and correct vices in the society, through this research hereby exposed how children's right is being violated daily and they are being coerced to do a degrading job. The ability of the theatre to communicate complex issues; and its high creative skills were the tools employed to create plays dramas, dances sketches, playlets, that advocate for child right and child labour. The quantitative research methodology and community play production were employed. Findings shows that many children were going through this trauma even though the child right laws have been in existence for so long its awareness and implementation level were very low.

Perlindungan Hukum terhadap Pekerja Usia Anak di Indonesia

The existence of child exploitation and child labor will add to labor problems in Indonesia. The term "child labor" refers to people who employ children. The term "child labor" can be associated with the use of children's labor with low compensation or considerations regarding their personality development, safety, health, and future prospects. Most child workers do not have time to play or go to school like other children. Underage people work as hard as adults, both in formal and informal jobs. To save child labor in the future, a holistic and comprehensive solution model is needed. One method that can be used is a client-centered case management approach (centered on the client or child worker).

Child Labour in Rivers State: Implications for Students’ Educational Development

The study examined the incidence of child labour in Rivers State and the implications for students’ educational development. Three objectives with corresponding three research questions were formulated to guide the study. The population of the study consists of 318 public senior secondary schools and 7,000 teachers in Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools board. The study adopted simple random sampling technique and made use of 30 public senior secondary schools and 300 teachers drawn from the three senatorial zones in Rivers State. The instrument used for the data collection was captioned “Child Labour in Rivers State and Implications for Students’ Educational Development Questionnaire (CLRSISEDQ)”. The reliability of the instrument was validated by two measurement and evaluation lecturers in the department of educational foundations in Rivers State University, while mean score was used to analyze the research questions and tables were used to organise the data. The result of the findings revealed that to a high extent various forms of child labour exist among students in public senior secondary schools in Rivers State. Also, to a high extent many factors are responsible for child labour among the students and finally to a high extent child labour impact negatively on the students and consequently, the educational development of the state. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others, that government should mandate the law enforcement agencies to arrest and prosecute culprits of child labour and parents should give birth to the number of children they can properly cater for.

More is more. Combined livelihood-education interventions and their effect on child labour in the agricultural sector

ABSTRACT What works to reduce child labour in agriculture? In this paper, we evaluate two randomised livelihood intervention programs, aimed to reduce child labour, particularly in its most exploitative forms, in rural areas of Peru. We evaluate a livelihood intervention provided to farmers in Peru that use the labour of their children on their family farms, accompanied by an education intervention aimed to improve the quality of schools and an awareness-raising intervention. We find that when the livelihood intervention is provided alone, it does not improve economic conditions, and hence generally fails to reduce child labour rates in rural areas. However, when the livelihood intervention is combined with measures to improve the quality of education, we see a reduction in hazardous child labour and child labour overall. Awareness-raising interventions, aimed at changing the perceptions of parents through community interaction, appear to have also had an effect in the reduction of child labour, and these effects were reinforced by education interventions. Results indicate that a comprehensive approach including livelihood support with education and awareness-raising components is a more effective way to reduce child labour and hazardous labour for children in the agricultural sector.

Impact of Program Keluarga Harapan on Child Labor During Covid-19

Impact of Program Keluarga Harapan on Child Labor During Covid-19

The shadow wage of child labor: An application to Nepal

AbstractThis paper describes a new method for estimating shadow wages and identifying the shadow contribution of child labor to household income. The approach enables a direct test for recursivity by comparing the estimated shadow wages with the market wage. This is a novel option to test for non‐separability that complements traditional indirect tests based on constraining production or consumption decisions. Our innovative identification strategy is not specific to child labor but can also be used to identify gender‐specific shadow wages for women and men. The estimated shadow wages are meaningful in the context of Nepal's rural economy. Based on the results of our direct test for separability, we conclude that the separable representation of farm households is inconsistent with the Nepalese data. We also estimate the contribution of child labor to household income at both the household and national levels. A series of simulations illustrates the role that child labor plays in household livelihoods and how it affects Nepal's income distribution.

Impaired health in working children: a critical ethnography

Child labor is one of the important social issues that deprive children of many fundamental rights, and make them face many problems and consequences, including health problems. Thus, this study was conducted with the aim of examining the health of working children in Tehran. This is an ethnographic study that was conducted using Carspecken’s approach and was completed in 2022. The main participants of this study included working children aged 10–18 years living in Tehran. In order to collect information, the researcher was present at the workplace, school, and living places of working children for more than two years, observing their lives and activities. Formal and informal interviews were also conducted with the working children and informed people. In total, hundreds of working children were assessed and observed in this research. A friendly conversation was formed between the researcher and more than 50 children, and official interviews were conducted with six of the working children. Also, more than 10 official interviews were conducted with informed people and parents of working children. In addition to observations and interviews, documents such as medical records and drawings of working children were also examined and interpreted. The information obtained from observations, interviews, and documents was entered into MAXQDA software, and its raw codes were extracted. The high-level codes as well as sub and main categories were formed from the aggregation of low-level codes. Impaired health was formed from three subcategories of tormented body (work and environmental trauma, sexual abuse, malnutrition, fatigue, sleep disorder and inadequate hygiene), disquieted mind (anxious children, depression and isolation, reduced self-esteem and unfocused mind) and disrupted sociability (negative social role modeling, aggression and violence, stubbornness and vindictiveness, harassment and nuisance, reprehensible social behaviors, neglecting others’ ownership, disturbed relationships and out-group self-censorship). The results of the present study showed that the health of working children is compromised in various physical, psychological, and social ways. Therefore, some measures should be taken at the national and international levels to improve their health, such as revising the existing laws regarding children and informing children of their rights.

The impact of microfinance on entrepreneurship and welfare among women borrowers in rural Pakistan

This study investigates the effects of microfinance on entrepreneurial activity and household welfare among women borrowers in rural Pakistan. Using survey data from 463 clients of multiple microfinance institutions and propensity score matching methods, we find that women who invest their loans in microenterprises experience significantly higher income, clothing expenditures, poverty scores, and income diversification compared to those who use loans for other purposes. However, we do not observe increases in health and education spending or reductions in child labour among entrepreneurial borrowers. The results highlight the potential for microfinance to stimulate women’s entrepreneurship and improve economic conditions in rural Pakistani households, but also underscore the limitations in promoting human capital investment. We discuss implications for enhancing microfinance interventions to support holistic welfare improvements for women entrepreneurs in Pakistan and beyond.

Abysmal Hike in Global Cocoa Price and its Implications on Cocoa Plantations in Tamil Nadu - A Critical Analysis

Cocoa belonging to the family Sterculiaceae has its origin in South America and later it had spread to Europe, Africa and Asia. In Tamil Nadu, cocoa is accommodated as an intercrop in arecanut and coconut plantations especially in South India. But over the past few years, the acreage under cocoa showed a steady decline and the area currently hovers around 5,000 ha especially concentrated in Coimbatore, Theni and Kanyakumari districts of the state. Price volatility is the key player in culminating cocoa plantations in the state. But the recent global shortage of cocoa associated with climatic vagaries and biotic stress like swollen shoot virus and black pod disease in the leading cocoa producers of the world has prompted a positive note in the price of cocoa beans in India. Government policies like ban on deforestation and engaging child labourers for farming and underinvestment in cocoa gardens in the West African countries also added hue to the problem. A record high of ten fold increase in price was observed during the last quarter of 2023 and first quarter of 2024. According to the International Cocoa Organization, global cocoa supply will decline by almost 11% over the 2023/2024 season. Global price has a direct impact on cocoa plantations in the state of Tamil Nadu as many cocoa orchards were cleared due to the lack of remunerative price. But the abysmal price hike in the global front has invited the farmers to rejuvenate the abandoned cocoa plantations and bring new area under cultivation in Tamil Nadu as price was the key player in giving up the crop during 2010s by the farmers. Abysmal hike in global cocoa price has brought a ray of hope for the expanding acreage of cocoa in the state of Tamil Nadu.

CHILD LABOUR IN INDIA AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS - AN ASSESSMENT

Child labour refers to the exploitation of minors through any type of employment that robs them of their youth, prevents them from attending a regular school, or is detrimental to their mental, physical, social, or moral development. Child labour enriches minors and infringes their rights. MGNREGA lacks funding but offers unskilled labour. By utilizing women's self-help groups and microfinance, UBIS hopes to eradicate child labour in rural areas by 2025. Prioritizing knowledge production and evidence translation, rescuing and rehabilitating labourers, and implementing free education are essential. By 2025, governments have to prioritize law enforcement, coordinated policies, and small labour rights. Over 75% of Indians are farmers, and large-scale income strategies like MGNREGA and agro-based enterprises are needed to reduce child labour and poverty. By 2025, UBIS, increased budgets, social safety nets, and stronger public policy are needed.

Exploring the Legal Approach of the Islamic Emirate towards Child Labor in Afghanistan

Children’s rights are one of the most sensitive aspects of human rights, which are emphasized in all religious and legal values. Children need the attention of the international community and the government for their growth and development. One of the violations of children’s rights is the issue of their work, which has existed for a long time, and child labor is consistently struggling with numerous challenges in Afghanistan, although throughout all the governmental periods, numerous promises have been made to guarantee the rights of child laborers to both the UN and the people of Afghanistan, but they have failed to fulfill them. Difficult circumstances compel children to do arduous deeds that have irreparable consequences for them. Considering the importance of children's rights in Afghanistan, which have been dominated by decades of war and economic poverty, with the formation of the new Islamic Emirate government, the question arises: what is the current legal approach of the Islamic Emirate system to child labor? Apparently, the current approach of the Islamic Emirate system towards child labor includes actions to protect children’s right, but there is no specific law regarding child labor. The aim of the study is to examine the current approach of the Afghan legal system to child labor. The research method is library-method, utilizing tools such as books, scientific and research articles, sharia, and social reports. Research findings indicate that the Islamic Emirate system is currently attempting to align issues related to child labor with the principles of Sharia law. However, formal and specific laws in this regard are not yet being enforced, and the life of child labor in Afghanistan is becoming increasingly dire day by day, leading to the persistence of vulnerabilities associated with child labor.

Child Labour and Migration: Rural Children in Urban Centres

Child Labour and Migration: Rural Children in Urban Centres

Child Labor, Corruption, and Development

Abstract Employing an overlapping generations model with endogenous education choice and corruption, we investigate how child labor and corruption influence human capital accumulation and development. We show that multiple steady states exist in the economy. One steady state has a high level of human capital, while the other has a low level of human capital. In the steady state with a low level of human capital, child labor and corruption exist, fertility and child mortality rates are high, and the welfare level is low. Conversely, in the steady state with a high level of human capital, child labor and corruption are diminished, fertility and child mortality rates are low, and welfare is high. In addition, we show that it is difficult to steer an economy away from a poverty trap with child labor and corruption because bureaucrats of the current generation are opposed to policy changes, such as the reinforcement of monitoring and penal regulations. However, we highlight the possibility for the government to develop the economy in the poverty trap by implementing an education policy, which is Pareto improving.

Assessing the social life cycle impacts of the Spanish electricity mix: A decadal analysis

Power generation systems are crucial to national energy transitions, such as Spain's, which stands as a notable example. However, this profound transformation could have multifaceted implications, leading to unintended consequences on society. The present work is the first to understand the social impacts of the Spanish power sector and their technology supply chains using the social life cycle sssessment methodology. The functional unit is 1 kWh of electricity produced by the technologies in the Spanish electricity mix. A cradle-to-gate approach is taken using a supply chain protocol to complete the system boundaries. The social life cycle inventory, comprising data on national suppliers, working hours and social flows, was integrated into the PSILCA database to derive the social profile of each power technology and, consequently, to obtain a comprehensive view of the Spanish power sector. The results reveal that social impact associated with the Spanish electricity mix has increased or remained stable from 2010 to 2022. Analysis of four indicators (child labour, contribution of the sector to the economic development, frequency of forced labour and women in the sectoral labour force) reveals significant differences, highlighting three main social hotspots: i) solar PV panel production in East and Southeast Asia, particularly China, ii) natural gas extraction and refining in North Africa, concentrated in Algeria, for natural gas combined cycle and cogeneration plants, and iii) construction and operation of hydropower and nuclear plants in Spain. This study demonstrates that current strategies for Spain's power sector transition may not guarantee a favourable social performance, emphasizing the need for balanced environmental and social considerations in energy policy making, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Child Acrobats as a Family Labor Force: An Exploratory Study on the Involvement of Children in Traditional Economic Activities

Child labor has majorly been analyzed through the socio-economic lens, because the deterministic cultural factors have not received much attention. This study attempts to understand the cultural influences on children’s involvement in traditional economic activities. Applying a cultural sociological approach, an intrinsic case study was conducted on the nomadic Nat tribe in India that generates its livelihood through children’s involvement in acrobatics. Findings suggest that the cultural existence of the tribe significantly determines children’s involvement in socio-economic exchanges. Policy attempts toward child upliftment must consider the cultural aspects essential for the tribe’s survival.

An Examination of the Factors contributing to Learner Dropout at Grade Six Level in Manzini Region Primary Schools

Learner dropout remains a challenge in Eswatini despite the introduction of free primary education by the government. The study established the factors that contribute to learner dropout at the grade six level in the Manzini region. An interpretivist research philosophy and a qualitative research approach were adopted to collect the study’s data. A case study design made it possible to collect detailed data from purposively selected participants in three public primary schools. Interviews were held with two head teachers while nine grade six teachers took part in focus group discussions. Findings revealed that school-related factors like overcrowded classrooms, poor performance and non-availability of practical subjects that aligned with learners’ interests and abilities contributed to learner dropout. Findings further revealed that poverty, child labour, peer pressure, teenage pregnancy, lack of parental involvement, and initiation into cultural practices and activities contributed to learner dropout. The study recommended that the government should build more schools and classrooms and hire more qualified teachers to reduce overcrowding in classrooms and the distance walked by learners to school. The government should also support needy learners from disadvantaged backgrounds with basic necessities such as sanitary pads for girls. The Ministry of Education should introduce practical subjects like Carpentry, Art, Music and Dance to cater for the interests and abilities of different learners. Schools should promote parental involvement and core curricula activities to engage, motivate and retain learners. The study contributes to the body of knowledge by suggesting strategies that can mitigate learner dropout which is a widespread challenge in the SADC region and other African countries. Keywords: Factors, Learner, Dropout, Manzini, Primary Schools

Profiles of child labour: prevalence, activities, contexts, and children’s harm extent in Raya-Kobo and Angot Districts, Ethiopia

Using a mixed research design, the overall objective of this study is to investigate the profiles of child labour in Ethiopia’s districts of Raya-Kobo and Angot. The study’s specific objectives are to examine types of activities and prevalence of child labour, to identify the children’s working contexts, and to evaluate the extent of harm children face in workplaces. The study hypothesizes the existence of significant variations in the profiles of child labour (activity types, prevalence rates, settings, and level of harm to children) as a result of several circumstances. While survey methodology was used to collect primary data from 431 randomly selected respondents, desk review and document analysis were also used to gather secondary data. The sampling procedures used include multi-stage purposive and systematic random sampling. Descriptive and inferential (Ordered Probit Regression model) methods of data analysis are utilized to analyze the data. The results of the descriptive analysis demonstrate a high incidence and magnitude of child labour, as well as children’s early entry to work. The regression analysis reveals children’s exposure to high levels of harm at work, which is directly exacerbated by household age, income diversification, land fragmentation, livestock number, shocks, and the predicted value of remittances. Contrarily, access to rural transportation, household heads’ education level, cart ownership, and family size reduce children’s harm extent while working. The study highlights the need to design strategies for age-appropriate work to protect children from hazardous and high-intensity activities, undertake community awareness campaigns about the impact of child labour on children, and strengthen local stakeholders’ capacity. Additionally, connecting rural areas and farmers’ croplands to towns or major routes via repaired or new roads would be beneficial.

A Critical Review of Bangladesh's Child Labor Regulations and Policies

Child labor remains widespread in Bangladesh. The country has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the ILO's Minimum Age Convention, and the Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention. The government has developed a legal and policy framework to eliminate all forms of child labor by 2025. This paper examines the country's pertinent national regulations, policies, and programs to identify discrepancies and gaps. The author appraised a variety of government documents, including laws, rules, policies, and reports, as well as emerging evidence. The results indicate that the country's legal and policy framework is comprehensive and well-aligned with its long-term development plans. Institutional bodies collaborate to implement and monitor these policies and programs designed to reduce child labor. Nonetheless, a few significant gaps render the framework insufficient, inconsistent, and ineffective. The government has not yet ratified several important conventions. The application of the Labor Act of 2006 is primarily restricted to the formal sectors, whereas most of the hazardous child labor occurs in the informal agricultural and domestic work sectors. In many cases, the absence of birth registration documents renders the determination of a child's age arbitrary. Emerging evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation and that dangerous child labor is on the rise in urban areas. However, the current framework lacks legal provisions regarding hazardous child labor, and government support programs are inadequate. The government must review its policies and develop programs in collaboration with communities to protect children's best interests.