Child Labor Research Articles

A novel model of age estimation in mixed dentition population in Western India – A retrospective study

Objectives: Age estimation is an integral part of legal investigations for forensic purposes. When the chronological age of the individual is not documented or he/she is under the conflict of the law, age estimation comes into play. The need for age estimation may arise in various legal incidences involving children, and juveniles, for civil aspects such as adoption, child labor, or other criminal proceedings such as rape, kidnapping, and illegal immigration. An accurate and dependable method, that can estimate age with high probability, can aid in narrowing down the list of possible victims or even play a decisive role in such cases. The reliability of the method and the probability of correct age estimation play a decisive role in the court of law. Bedek et al’s model (2019) was recently developed and tested in Croatian and South Indian populations with satisfactory results. As there is no evidence of study in the Western Indian population, looking into the accessibility of the population group, the present study aims to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Bedek method in the Western Indian population. Materials and Methods: Approval was sought from the Institutional Ethical Committee. Five hundred and twenty-five orthopantomographs (OPG) of patients aged 5–15 were obtained. A double-blinded study was done, where the radiographs were analyzed using ImageJ software, independently by two investigators. The data were tabulated and subjected to statistical analysis for accuracy of age estimation and intra- as well as inter-observer reliability. Results: There was an underestimation by a range of −1.3038 to −0.74536. There was underestimation in all the models of Bedek with P < 0.005, for all the teeth models except, the three- and two-teeth model (P > 0.005). Conclusion: In our study, we found that the accuracy of age estimation increases significantly with the number of teeth used. Seven four-teeth models were the most suitable for age estimation on OPG. All models except the three-teeth model and two-teeth model were found to be more accurate.

Fungsi Dinas Pemberdayaan Perempuan dan Perlindungan Anak Kota Kupang Terhadap Eksploitasi Anak Dibawah Umur Sebagai Pekerja Informal

Exploitation according to Law Number 35 of 2014 concerning Child Protection is divided into physical, social, sexual and economic exploitation. With the existence of children who work, this is a violation of the right to child protection and child growth and development, which should be at that age the child is still in school and gets a proper education. The phenomenon of underage labor almost occurs in all regions of Indonesia. One of the children's problems that must receive special attention is the issue of child labor. This issue has become global because so many children around the world are already working at school age. In fact, the issue of child labor is not just an issue of children carrying out work with wages, but it is very closely related to exploitation, dangerous work, inhibition of access to education and hindering the physical, psychological and social development of children, even in certain cases and forms of child labor have entered as the qualification of children who work in the most intolerable situations (the intolerable form of child labor). This research is an empirical research that uses primary data and secondary data collected using interview, observation and literature study techniques. The informants in this study are 10 people. The data processing techniques in this study use several techniques, namely editing, coding, tabulation and verification after which the data will be analyzed using qualitative descriptive techniques. The results of this study show that (1) the Kupang City Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Office needs to increase socialization, supervision, and cooperation with the community to effectively prevent and protect minors from exploitation. (2) Budget factors, apparatus resources, and socialization of child protection to the community are factors that hinder the implementation of the functions of the Kupang City Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Office in providing prevention, protection, coaching and empowerment of children.

Stigma management: a counter-accounting of child labour and environmental issues in the mining sector

Stigma management: a counter-accounting of child labour and environmental issues in the mining sector

Child labor in artisanal and small-scale mining: Implications for health, development and poverty

This paper investigates the complexities of health-related consequences associated with child labor in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). Based on qualitative data from northeast Guinea, our findings reveal pervasive adverse effects on the physical, psychological, and target organ health of affected children, significantly compromising their quality of life. Physical injuries, psychological distress, and exposure to toxic substances are prevalent, underscoring the inadequacy of existing policies and institutional actions to eradicate child labor and ensure the safety of those involved. Drawing from the findings, we have formulated a conceptual framework, the 'Child Labor Poverty Cycle,' to simplify and explain the intricate dynamics and connections among child labor, poor health outcomes, community vulnerability, and persistent poverty. These interrelated outcomes of child labor are detrimental to the socioeconomic wellbeing of communities, necessitating the need for government and stakeholder institutions to improve protection measures against child labor and address rural poverty, which partly drives children into child labor. Decision-makers can adopt the conceptual framework to inform the development of sustainable policies that address the drivers of child labor.

Child Labour and Health: Evidence from Tanzania

Child Labour and Health: Evidence from Tanzania

Motives for Minors Working as Farm Workers

This study aims to understand the motives of underage children working as farm laborers in Pencong Village, Biringbulu District, Gowa Regency, and its impact on their education and health. The study used a qualitative approach with a case study type, involving in-depth interviews with children, parents, and community leaders. In this study, the data collection techniques used are in the form of observation, interviews and documentation. The data collected was then analyzed with a quantitative descriptive approach through three main steps, namely data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawn., The results of the study indicate that the main motives for children to work are influenced by economic, social, and cultural factors. Family economic limitations are the dominant reason, while social norms and local traditions that support early work also play an important role. Farm labor work has a negative impact on children's education, causing absenteeism and low academic achievement. In addition, heavy physical work affects children's physical and mental health. This study concludes the need for social interventions, economic assistance, and more flexible education programs to reduce child labor in rural areas.

Public Procurement and Child Labour in Ghana and Nigeria

Abstract Despite numerous domestic laws and treaties prohibiting child labour, the practice persists in many African countries, including in government supply chains. It is important to highlight the connection between public procurement and child labour in Africa because the continent hosts over 50% of the world’s child labourers. Furthermore, tackling child labour through public procurement processes has not attracted much academic and policy attention. In order to shift this narrative, this article examines the public procurement frameworks of Ghana and Nigeria to reveal how they address child labour throughout the process of planning, tendering, contract award and contract management. It finds that the selected countries’ legal frameworks are inadequate in addressing child labour and recommends measures to improve the identified limitations.

Compliance of Health and Safety Issues of Child Labour in Bangladesh: A Comparative Study

Bangladesh is a creating and Child Labour is one of the fundamental issues of this country. The fundamental points of this study discover the essential reasons for kids are perceived as kid work and attempt to know the causes behind presence a negative connection between youngster training and kid work. This paper means to recognize Health and Safety issues of Child Labour in Bangladesh. Kid work is step by step being perceived as a multi-faceted social issue in our country. Consequently, youngsters regularly have 'no voice' to communicate their own necessities. The state, society, guardians and worldwide organizations need to assume reciprocal parts in disposing of kid work. This infers that all gatherings should be ready to compromise - a cycle that should be monetarily reasonable and at last in light of a legitimate concern for the youngsters who don't have the development to choose for themselves. Specialized collaboration to legislatures, non-administrative associations and different offices in this attempt should be emphatically advanced. This paper audits investigates the kid work circumstance in Bangladesh and the current legitimate structure for youngster work and shows that there remain holes in the lawful and strategy system of Bangladesh.

Exploring the Determinants of Child Labor in District Peshawar

The study investigates the relationship between skilled labor, poverty and child labor in district Peshawar. OLS and Multinomial Logistic Regression model is used for empirical findings. 150 boys (5-17 years) are randomly selected for survey. The methodology employed in the present study involves collecting primary data through questionnaires from two distinct populations: physically demanding laborers in Shoba Bazaar's mechanic shops and children engaged in online work. The majority of the little boys had no or little education. Most of their fathers had little education and were in poorly paid jobs, unemployed or deceased. Moreover, the study suggests that educational years of children and head’s educational status have strong negative impact on child labor. In addition, the study finds that age of children has positive relationship with child labor while joint family system has negative impact on child labor. Poverty serves as a driving force for child labor.

Protection of child influencers: international experience and ways of regulation in Ukraine

In today’s world, children are becoming more and more influential by actively creating content on social media. This trend is growing rapidly, as young influencers can reach millions and influence the behavior of their audience. While this can lead to significant financial benefits for both children and their families, it also raises serious concerns about their legal protection and overall health - both physical and mental. Given the widespread use of social media, careful consideration of this situation is needed, as those who influence children are often exposed to environments that may be detrimental to their well- being. In view of these challenges, there is an urgent need to develop and implement effective legislation that guarantees the protection of children’s rights, ensures proper working conditions and protects them from various forms of exploitation. This article addresses the important issue of regulating the influence on children, which is becoming increasingly relevant as the influence of social media expands. Young influencers on the Internet face numerous risks, including exploitation, manipulation by parents or companies, as well as the pressure of overwork and psychological stress due to a demanding schedule. The article offers a comparative analysis of legislative measures taken by France and the United States that have begun to address these issues. The key aspects of legal protection for children involved in the creation of commercial content are explored, such as limiting working hours, ensuring access to education, providing psychological support, and promoting financial transparency. The study aims to emphasize the need to create an international framework for the regulation of child labor in the digital sphere and to offer recommendations for improving both national and international legislation. The article proposes to create specialized institutions to monitor compliance with legislation that protects children’s rights to leisure, education and personal development.

Estimating the prevalence of child labour in the cocoa industry via indirect elicitation methods: a mixed-methods study

Data from children suggest that the prevalence of child labour in the cocoa industry in Côte d’Ivoire is a worrying 38%. However, while surveying children has the potential to reduce sensitivity biases such as social desirability bias, it presents significant ethical dilemmas and may also be associated with other reporting biases, making accurate estimates of child labour difficult. To address this, we collected data from 1741 cocoa producers to assess whether parents could provide more accurate estimates using indirect survey methods. We compared direct questioning with a list experiment and a novel non-verbal method (‘colorbox’). We found higher prevalence rates of child labour using indirect elicitation methods, but lower than those obtained from children’s surveys. Qualitative in-depth interviews revealed motivations for underreporting, including fear of legal consequences and mistrust of stakeholders. Indirect methods alone are not sufficient to correct for underreporting when child labour is collected from parents. Future research should prioritise direct data collection from children and address ethical concerns to obtain more accurate estimates of child labour.

Exploring influences on child labour disclosure: the role of sustainability policies and stakeholder engagement

Exploring influences on child labour disclosure: the role of sustainability policies and stakeholder engagement

The Swiss Legislation on Business and Human Rights: A Reform Needed Towards Harmonization with EU Law

AbstractThis article examines the disparities between the (existing and planned) business and human rights (BHR) legislations in Switzerland and the European Union (EU). More specifically, (i) the key differences that exist between the Swiss and EU BHR legislations are identified, and (ii) the proposed amendments to the Swiss BHR legislation to reach the desired harmonization with the EU framework are put forward. The Swiss BHR legislation, implemented in stages on 1 January 2021 and 1 January 2023, encompasses provisions related to ‘transparency on non-financial matters’, ‘transparency in raw material companies’, and ‘due diligence and transparency in relation to minerals and metals from conflict-affected areas and child labor’. The EU BHR legal framework, however, has undergone a major overhaul, with the recent adoption of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CSDDD) that introduce additional obligations. These EU regulations have (or will have) important extraterritorial effects, including on Swiss undertakings operating—directly or indirectly—in the EU. To prevent Swiss companies from being subject to a diverse array of regulations (with an increased risk of sanctions in case of non-compliance), a reform of the Swiss BHR legislation is needed to ensure harmonization with EU BHR legislation. This article also serves as a resource if full equivalence between them is sought.

SHARENTING E EXPLORAÇÃO DO TRABALHO INFANTIL

ABSTRACT The act of parents sharing information and images of their children on the internet, a practice known as sharenting, has become increasingly common but also raises a series of controversies. This trend involves the constant exposure of children’s private lives on social media, sparking debates on privacy, security, and children’s autonomy over their own image. Thus, the present research aims to analyze the impact of sharenting on children’s exposure to child labor exploitation. The study seeks to demonstrate how digital overexposure can open doors to the economic and psychological exploitation of these children, who are often involved in activities that go beyond mere entertainment and start to constitute labor. Accordingly, the study will investigate the potential legal and social implications of this practice, based on a qualitative literature review focused on analyses of current legislation, case studies, and reviews of academic literature. The expected outcomes include identifying the risks associated with the practice of sharenting, along with proposals for regulation and greater awareness of children’s rights in the digital environment.

Socio-Economic Implications of Displacement on Children in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria

This study examined the socio-economic implication of displacement on children in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State. It specifically identified the concerns of children in the IDP camps in Guma LGA of Benue state; ascertained the various agencies addressing these concerns and, investigated and prioritized the identified concerns of these children to proffer the needs assessment to address these. This is undertaken given that in the aftermath of farmers' and herders' conflicts, children bore the brunt of the disruptive effects of the upheavals that undermined their survival rights. The study adopted a survey method that sourced primary data through the use of a structured questionnaire and employed descriptive statistics for analysis. The findings indicate that there are unaccompanied children in the camp who are not catered for. There is inadequate medical care for the children, raising concerns about malnutrition, infectious diseases, safe delivery, and infant mortality. School drop-out is also a concern as it leads to the risk of child labour, poor skills development, and vices. The study recommended that a proper record of all internally displaced persons across all indices of demographic and socioeconomic data should be taken for adequate planning and logistics. There should be effective psychological treatment for the children to help their psycho-social integration with the larger society. Access to medical care should be improved for the children and education services should be all-encompassing for the children to eradicate the school drop-out rate.

Youth at Work: Exploring the Relationship Between Social Status, a History of Child Labour, and Health

BackgroundDespite positive post-pandemic changes, youth are still employed in work environments and conditions that threaten their health. AimTo evaluate individual, family, and work-related factors associated with physical and mental health, and the relationship between health, social status, and child labour among young apprentices. DesignA cross-sectional study. MethodsThe study involved 417 young workers between December 2023 and April 2024. Data were gathered using the Social Status Index Form, Brief Symptom Inventory, physical examinations, and analyzed through IPWRA, hierarchical regression, and decision tree analysis. ResultsBeing male, having five or more siblings, and having a father with low education were significant predictors of a history of child labour. After adjusting for objective social status, key risk factors for young workers' physical health included being female, having poor mental health, having a lowly educated mother, and working long hours. Approximately one-quarter of the variability in young workers' mental health could be attributed to factors related to low family status, such as the mother's employment, a history of child labor, having a sibling not in formal education, low subjective social status, working in the service sector, and being in an inappropriate working environment. ConclusionLow family social status, a history of child labor, and unsafe working conditions emerge as key shared predictors of both physical and mental health risks. In line with the decent work goal, macro-level policies aimed at improving social status and regulating working conditions are essential to supporting youth in the workforce.

Unnatural Deaths Among Children In India: A Critical Analysis Of Child Rights

Unnatural child mortality in India is a profound threat to the well-being and development of its young population. This research examines the issue within the framework of child rights, revealing significant contributing factors such as inadequate safety measures, socio-economic disparities, and weak enforcement of child protection laws. The study advocates a holistic approach, emphasizing the need to strengthen child protection laws, enhance education and awareness, mobilize local communities, and implement mental health interventions. Child rights, enshrined in the legal framework of India, including constitutional provisions, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), and domestic laws, play a pivotal role. However, challenges such as poverty, limited awareness, feeble enforcement, child labor, and gender-based discrimination necessitate systemic reforms. Prioritizing child rights and safety can create a secure environment for India's youngest citizens. The research draws from existing literature, highlighting the importance of community engagement, education, and a robust legal foundation in preventing unnatural child deaths. Collaboration among government, civil society organizations, academia, and international entities is crucial for sustainable change. This research seeks to raise awareness, provoke discourse, and stimulate proactive measures to safeguard India's children. Strengthening child protection and advancing child rights are fundamental imperatives with the potential to shape a fairer society

Theoretical perspectives on children in need in economic thinking

This paper investigates the progression of economic thought on children in need, highlighting pivotal transitions from early economic theories to contemporary perspectives. Initially, children were regarded as economic assets, with necessity of child labour being rationalized for national prosperity. Industrialization exposed the exploitative conditions of child labour, prompting significant social reforms and protective legislation. Modern psychology and sociology have deepened the comprehension of child development, emphasizing early education and health. Evidencebased strategies from behavioral economics and randomized trials now guide effective policy interventions. A multidisciplinary approach is decisive in enhancing conditions for vulnerable children, by ensuring that they can realize their full potential in a supportive environment.

Two birds, one stone: minimum wage and child labor

PurposeThis paper investigates the impact of quasi-exogenous and substantial increases in the minimum wage on child labor outcomes in Türkiye. The study aims to provide empirical evidence on how minimum wage policies affect child labor outcomes in a developing country context, with a focus on gender and age differences. It seeks to understand whether minimum wage increases lead to a reduction in child labor and whether the impact is different for various demographic groups.Design/methodology/approachThe research employs a difference-in-differences methodology using data from the 2012 and 2019 Child Labor Force Survey in Türkiye. The treatment group consists of children from households with minimum wage earners, while the control group comprises children from other households. Various labor market outcomes are analyzed, and robustness checks are performed.FindingsOur findings indicate that while the overall effect of minimum wage increases on child labor is statistically insignificant, there are notable heterogeneous impacts across different demographic groups and employment sectors. Specifically, we observe a significant reduction in the employment probability of girls under the age of 15 and unpaid family workers. Additionally, the likelihood of younger children being wage earners decreases, and the minimum wage increase reduces employment in the agriculture and services sectors for certain subgroups. The impact is also more limited for children in single-adult-worker households.Social implicationsThese results underscore the varying effects of minimum wage policies on child labor and highlight the importance of considering demographic and sectoral differences in policy formulation. Policymakers should complement such policies with income-generating programs and targeted education initiatives to address child labor issues more comprehensively and sustainably.Originality/valueThis study fills a critical gap in the limited international literature on the causal effects of minimum wage policies on child labor incidence. One notable exception, Menon and van der Meulen Rodgers (2018) have explored the impact of minimum wage on child labor in India using regional variation, our study uniquely analyzes the effects at the household level in Türkiye. This approach provides valuable insights into how minimum wage changes affect child labor outcomes in a developing economy context with a high prevalence of minimum wage earners. It also contributes to the broader economic understanding of child labor and household income dynamics.

How to Tackle Increasing Child Labor in Uganda

How to Tackle Increasing Child Labor in Uganda