research topic about child labor

77 Child Labour Essay Topics & Examples

Researching the subject of child labour for an essay, you will see that it’s quite challenging to write about. That’s why we’ve listed useful topics here.

🏆 Best Child Labour Topic Ideas & Essay Examples

🎓 good child labour project topics, 👍 interesting child labour essay topics, ❓ research questions on child labour.

Even today, in our progressive world, this is a pressing issue that you can discuss in detail, relying on region and global statistics. We would love to facilitate this task for you by providing good child labour essay topics. Our experts have collected this list on the causes, solutions, and other aspects of the issue. So, check our essay ideas and research questions on child labour and start writing!

• Nestlé Company and Child Labour Exploitation In the following 15 years, the issue of child labour on African cocoa farms would become a cause celebre and Nestle would struggle to improve its image amid constant child labour scandals.
• Arguments for and Against Banning All Forms of Child Labour It is essential to examine the border between safe and dangerous labor and compare arguments for and against the prohibition of all forms of child labor in manufacturing.
• Business Ethics and Child Labour According to the case, business ethics is the observance of rules and regulations that have been put in place. Child labour is one of the serious ethical issues that businesses have to deal with in […]
• Child Labour: Ethical Aspects of Employment In spite of its rich history, the question of child labour cannot be answered in a proper way; a number of issues like personal desire, necessity, and living conditions have to be taken into consideration; […]
• Child Labour: An Illegal Practise This paper seeks to elaborate the reasons behind the use of child labour in some corporations and the general ways child labour affects the conditions of the children involved.
• Problem of Child Labor in Modern Society According to the International Labor Organization, these are the worst forms of child labor. There are emerging cases of child labor in the third world nations.
• Businesses Engaging in Child Labour They claimed that child labor practices were against the precepts of their company and international labor laws. Fairtrade International admitted that they were informed of the allegations of child labor in the cotton farms.
• Child Labour in the Late 1800s to the Early 1900s The children of the poor families were forced to find out the livelihood for their families and were deprived of education, his sweet adolescence and other necessities of the world.
• A Review of the Child Labour, Its Perspectives Child labour can be described any form of economic improving activity for children under the age of 12 depending on the individual state that compromises the child’s right to health, quality education and all work […]
• Child Labour and Rights in the United Kingdom From child labor to child abuse, there are certainly different government and non-government agencies all over the world that support and are keenly watching the child’s rights and protection programs of every country. The cases […]
• Child Labour in India and Intervention Measures The Union government of India need to earnestly take the initiative of conducting civic education, particularly for the Indian scheduled castes and Tribes as these categories provide wellspring for the vulnerable and susceptible Gender.
• Globalization and the Economics of Child Labor In his article “Globalization and the Economics of Child Labor”, Edmond Eric advances that globalization has resulted in a significant reduction in child labor throughout the world.
• Child Labour Policies in Business While the US and many other European nations accept that the banning of any illegal form of child labour is vital for enhancing observance of the rights for children, some nations, especially in the developing […]
• Role of Codes of Conduct in Child Labour Practice As it will be observed in the following case, the issue of child labour is among the many challenges that have continued to affect the management of modern global supply chains.
• Labor Economics: Child Labor In another observation, Chau believes that the practice may be developed by the myth that children’s’ way of doing things better than adults would make them the appropriate substitute in the labor market.
• Intermittent Child Employment and Its Implications for Estimates of Child Labour
• Understanding Child Labour Beyond the Standard Economic Assumption of Monetary Poverty
• Climate Vulnerability, Communities’ Resilience and Child Labour
• Child Labour and the Industrial Revolution
• Child Labour Is Not Always Bad for Society
• An Analysis of the Child Labour in the Nineteenth Century England
• Child Labour and Its Effects on Children and Their Families
• An Introduction to the Child Labour in Third World Countries
• Banning Child Labour in Developing Countries
• International Migration and Child labour in Developing Countries
• Child Labour: A Historically Important Role with Future Repercussions
• International Migration and Child Labour in Developing Countries
• The Trade-Off Between Child Labour and Schooling in India
• The Role of Trade and Offshoring in the Determination of Child Labour
• Human Rights for Child Labour
• Mortality Risks, Education and Child Labour
• Child Labour in Developing Countries: The Role of Education, Poverty and Birth Order
• Educational Programme for Child Labour
• Breaking Mainstream Thinking: Legalizing Child Labour
• The Intriguing Relation Between Adult Minimum Wage and Child Labour
• Unintended Effects of Microfinance: An Increase in Child Labour in Some Contexts
• Child Labour, School Attendance and Performance
• Victorian England Child Labour
• Child Labour Is a Human Rights Violation
• Child Labour and Its Effect on Children Essay
• Agricultural Dualism, Incidence of Child Labour and Subsidy Policies
• Voting with Your Children: A Positive Analysis of Child Labour Laws
• Rescuing Children from the Hands of Child Labour
• An Overview of Child Labour in the 19th Century
• Child Labour and Trade Liberalization in a Developing Economy
• Impact of Trade Vs. Non-trade Policies on the Incidence of Child Labour
• Social Responsibility and Child Labour
• What Are Child Labour and Possible Prevention?
• Does Globalisation Increase Child Labour?
• Why Banning the Worst Forms of Child Labour Would Hurt Poor Countries?
• Was Victorian England Child Labour?
• The Income Elasticity of Child Labour: Do Cash Transfers Impact on the Poorest Children?
• Are Fair Trade Labels Effective Against Child Labour?
• How to Find the Trade-Off Between Child Labour and Human Capital Formation?
• Does Child Labour Still Exist Today?
• Was Child Labour Necessary During the Industrial Revolution?
• Child Labour and How Does It Happen?
• What Is the Connection Between Child Labour and Mothers’ Work?
• Is There Subterranean Child Labour Force?
• What Should You Know About Child Labour?
• Can the WTO Member States Rely on Citizen Concerns to Prevent Corporations from Importing Goods Made from Child Labour?
• Child Labour Measurement: Whom Should We Ask?
• What Is the Universally Acceptable Reason for Child Labour?
• Child Labour and What Is It?
• Should Child Labour Be Banned Globally?
• What Are the Trade-Off Between Human Capital and Child Labour?
• Does Child Labour Displace Schooling?
• Why Did Child Labour Decline in Britain in the 19th and 20th Centuries
• What Was the Child Labour?
• Does Health Insurance Reduce Child Labour and Education Gaps?
• What Is the Effect of Child Labour on Learning Achievement?
• Is Overpopulation the Main Cause of Child Labour?
• Does Child Labour Harm Child Education and Health?
• Does Child Labour Affect School Attendance and School Performance?
• What Is the Connection Between Child Labour and Trade Liberalization?
• What are the Un’s Preventative Measures Against Child Labour?
• Child Labour: Core Labour Standards and FDI: Friends or Foes?
• Financial Crisis Paper Topics
• Childcare Research Topics
• Employment Law Paper Topics
• Socioeconomic Status Paper Topics
• Work Environment Research Topics
• Social Justice Essay Ideas
• Inequality Titles
• Human Rights Essay Ideas
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, October 26). 77 Child Labour Essay Topics & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/child-labour-essay-examples/

"77 Child Labour Essay Topics & Examples." IvyPanda , 26 Oct. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/child-labour-essay-examples/.

IvyPanda . (2023) '77 Child Labour Essay Topics & Examples'. 26 October.

IvyPanda . 2023. "77 Child Labour Essay Topics & Examples." October 26, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/child-labour-essay-examples/.

1. IvyPanda . "77 Child Labour Essay Topics & Examples." October 26, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/child-labour-essay-examples/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "77 Child Labour Essay Topics & Examples." October 26, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/child-labour-essay-examples/.

• Search Menu
• Sign in through your institution
• Advance articles
• Editor's Choice
• Supplements
• Author Guidelines
• Submission Site
• Open Access
• About Journal of Public Health
• About the Faculty of Public Health of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom
• Editorial Board
• Self-Archiving Policy
• Dispatch Dates
• Advertising and Corporate Services
• Journals Career Network
• Journals on Oxford Academic
• Books on Oxford Academic

Article Contents

Introduction, methodology.

• < Previous

Child labor and health: a systematic literature review of the impacts of child labor on child’s health in low- and middle-income countries

• Article contents
• Figures & tables
• Supplementary Data

Abdalla Ibrahim, Salma M Abdalla, Mohammed Jafer, Jihad Abdelgadir, Nanne de Vries, Child labor and health: a systematic literature review of the impacts of child labor on child’s health in low- and middle-income countries, Journal of Public Health , Volume 41, Issue 1, March 2019, Pages 18–26, https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdy018

• Permissions Icon Permissions

To summarize current evidence on the impacts of child labor on physical and mental health.

We searched PubMed and ScienceDirect for studies that included participants aged 18 years or less, conducted in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and reported quantitative data. Two independent reviewers conducted data extraction and assessment of study quality.

A total of 25 studies were identified, the majority of which were cross-sectional. Child labor was found to be associated with a number of adverse health outcomes, including but not limited to poor growth, malnutrition, higher incidence of infectious and system-specific diseases, behavioral and emotional disorders, and decreased coping efficacy. Quality of included studies was rated as fair to good.

Child labor remains a major public health concern in LMICs, being associated with adverse physical and mental health outcomes. Current efforts against child labor need to be revisited, at least in LMICs. Further studies following a longitudinal design, and using common methods to assess the health impact of child labor in different country contexts would inform policy making.

For decades, child labor has been an important global issue associated with inadequate educational opportunities, poverty and gender inequality. 1 Not all types of work carried out by children are considered child labor. Engagement of children or adolescents in work with no influence on their health and schooling is usually regarded positive. The International Labor Organization (ILO) describes child labor as ‘work that deprives children of their childhood, potential and dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development’. 2 This definition includes types of work that are mentally, physically, socially or morally harmful to children; or disrupts schooling.

The topic gained scientific attention with the industrial revolution. Research conducted in the UK, because of adverse outcomes in children, resulted in acts for child labor in 18 02. 3 Many countries followed the UK, in recognition of the associated health risks. The ILO took its first stance in 1973 by setting the minimum age for work. 4 Nevertheless, the ILO and other international organizations that target the issue failed to achieve goals. Child labor was part of the Millennium Development Goals, adopted by 191 nations in 20 00 5 to be achieved by 2015. Subsequently, child labor was included in the Sustainable Development Goals, 6 which explicitly calls for eradication of child labor by 2030.

Despite the reported decline in child labor from 1995 to 2000, it remains a major concern. In 2016, it was estimated that ~150 million children under the age of 14 are engaged in labor worldwide, with most of them working under circumstances that denies them a playful childhood and jeopardize their health. 7 Most working children are 11–14 years, but around 60 million are 5–11 years old. 7 There are no exact numbers of the distribution of child labor globally; however, available statistics show that 96% of child workers are in Africa, Asia and Latin America. 1

Research into the impacts of child labor suggests several associations between child labor and adverse health outcomes. Parker 1 reported that child labor is associated with certain exposures like silica in industries, and HIV infection in prostitution. Additionally, as child labor is associated with maternal illiteracy and poverty, children who work are more susceptible to malnutrition, 1 which predisposes them to various diseases.

A meta-analysis on the topic was published in 20 07. 8 However, authors reported only an association of child labor with higher mortality and morbidity than in the general population, without reporting individual outcome specific effects. 8 Another meta-analysis investigated the effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including child labor, on health. They reported that ACEs are risk factors for many adverse health outcomes. 9

To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review that attempts to summarize current evidence on the impacts of child labor on both physical and mental health, based on specific outcomes. We review the most recent evidence on the health impacts of child labor in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) according to the World Bank classification. We provide an informative summary of current studies of the impacts of child labor, and reflect upon the progress of anti-child labor policies and laws.

Search strategy

We searched PubMed and ScienceDirect databases. Search was restricted to publications from year 1997 onwards. Only studies written in English were considered. Our search algorithm was [(‘child labor’ OR ‘child labor’ OR ‘working children’ OR ‘occupational health’ OR ‘Adolescent work’ OR ‘working adolescents’) AND (Health OR medical)]. The first third of the algorithm was assigned to titles/abstracts to ensure relevance of the studies retrieved, while the rest of the terms were not. On PubMed, we added […AND (poverty OR ‘low income’ OR ‘developing countries’)] to increase the specificity of results; otherwise, the search results were ~60 times more, with the majority of studies being irrelevant.

Study selection

Studies that met the following criteria were considered eligible: sample age 18 years or less; study was conducted in LMICs; and quantitative data was reported.

Two authors reviewed the titles obtained, a.o. to exclude studies related to ‘medical child labor’ as in childbirth. Abstracts of papers retained were reviewed, and subsequently full studies were assessed for inclusion criteria. Two authors assessed the quality of studies using Downs and Black tool for quality assessment. 10 The tool includes 27 items, yet not all items fit every study. In such cases, we used only relevant items. Total score was the number of items positively evaluated. Studies were ranked accordingly (poor, fair, good) (Table 1 ).

Characteristics of studies included

* The quality is based on the percentage of Downs and Black 10 tool, < 50% = poor, 50–75% = fair, > 75% = good.

** BMI, body mass index.

*** HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; HBV, hepatitis B virus; HCV, hepatitis C virus.

Data extraction and management

Two authors extracted the data using a standardized data extraction form. It included focus of study (i.e. physical and/or mental health), exposure (type of child labor), country of study, age group, gender, study design, reported measures (independent variables) and outcome measures (Table 1 ). The extraction form was piloted to ensure standardization of data collection. A third author then reviewed extracted data. Disagreements were solved by discussion.

Search results

A flow diagram (Fig. 1 ) shows the studies selection process. We retrieved 1050 studies on PubMed and 833 studies on Science Direct, with no duplicates in the search results. We also retrieved 23 studies through screening of the references, following the screening by title of retrieved studies. By reviewing title and abstract, 1879 studies were excluded. After full assessment of the remaining studies, 25 were included.

Study selection process.

Characteristics of included studies

Among the included studies ten documented only prevalence estimates of physical diseases, six documented mental and psychosocial health including abuse, and nine reported the prevalence of both mental and physical health impacts (Table 1 ). In total, 24 studies were conducted in one country; one study included data from the Living Standard Measurement Study of 83 LMIC. 8

In total, 12 studies compared outcomes between working children and a control group (Table 1 ). Concerning physical health, many studies reported the prevalence of general symptoms (fever, cough and stunting) or diseases (malnutrition, anemia and infectious diseases). Alternatively, some studies documented prevalence of illnesses or symptoms hypothesized to be associated with child labor (Table 1 ). The majority of studies focusing on physical health conducted clinical examination or collected blood samples.

Concerning mental and psychosocial health, the outcomes documented included abuse with its different forms, coping efficacy, emotional disturbances, mood and anxiety disorders. The outcomes were measured based on self-reporting and using validated measures, for example, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), in local languages.

The majority of studies were ranked as of ‘good quality’, with seven ranked ‘fair’ and one ranked ‘poor’ (Table 1 ). The majority of them also had mixed-gender samples, with only one study restricted to females. 24 In addition, valid measures were used in most studies (Table 1 ). Most studies did not examine the differences between genders.

Child labor and physical health

Fifteen studies examined physical health effects of child labor, including nutritional status, physical growth, work-related illnesses/symptoms, musculoskeletal pain, HIV infection, systematic symptoms, infectious diseases, tuberculosis and eyestrain. Eight studies measured physical health effects through clinical examination or blood samples, in addition to self-reported questionnaires. All studies in which a comparison group was used reported higher prevalence of physical diseases in the working children group.

Two studies were concerned with physical growth and development. A study conducted in Pakistan, 11 reported that child labor is associated with wasting, stunting and chronic malnutrition. A similar study conducted in India compared physical growth and genital development between working and non-working children and reported that child labor is associated with lower BMI, shorter stature and delayed genital development in working boys, while no significant differences were found among females. 12

Concerning work-related illnesses and injuries, a study conducted in Bangladesh reported that there is a statistically significant positive association between child labor and the probability to report any injury or illness, tiredness/exhaustion, body injury and other health problems. Number of hours worked and the probability of reporting injury and illness were positively correlated. Younger children were more likely to suffer from backaches and other health problems (infection, burns and lung diseases), while probability of reporting tiredness/exhaustion was greater in the oldest age group. Furthermore, the frequency of reporting any injury or illness increases with the number of hours worked, with significant variation across employment sectors. 13 A study in Iran reported that industrial workrooms were the most common place for injury (58.2%). Falling from heights or in horizontal surface was the most common mechanism of injury (44%). None of the patients was using a preventive device at the time of injury. Cuts (49.6%) were the most commonly reported injuries. 14

Other studies that investigated the prevalence of general symptoms in working children in Pakistan, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Indonesia reported that child labor is negatively associated with health. 15 – 19 Watery eyes, chronic cough and diarrhea were common findings, in addition to history of a major injury (permanent loss of an organ, hearing loss, bone fractures, permanent disability). 20 One study, conducted in India reported that working children suffered from anemia, gastrointestinal tract infections, vitamin deficiencies, respiratory tract infections, skin diseases and high prevalence of malnutrition. 21 Another study—of poor quality—in India reported that child labor was associated with higher incidence of infectious diseases compared to non-working children. 22

Only a few studies focused on specific diseases. A study in Brazil compared the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain between working and non-working children. Authors reported that the prevalence of pain in the neck, knee, wrist or hands, and upper back exceeded 15%. Workers in manufacturing had a significantly increased risk for musculoskeletal pain and back pain, while child workers in domestic services had 17% more musculoskeletal pain and 23% more back pain than non-workers. Awkward posture and heavy physical work were associated with musculoskeletal pain, while monotonous work, awkward posture and noise were associated with back pain. 23 A study in Nicaragua, which focused on children working in agriculture, reported that child labor in agriculture poses a serious threat to children’s health; specifically, acute pesticides poisoning. 24

A study conducted in India reported that the prevalence of eyestrain in child laborers was 25.9%, which was significantly more than the 12.4% prevalence in a comparison group. Prevalence was higher in boys and those who work more than 4 h daily. 25 Another study conducted in India documented that the difference between working and non-working children in the same area in respiratory morbidities (TB, hilar gland enlargement/calcification) was statistically significant. 26

A study in Iran explored the prevalence of viral infections (HIV, HCV and HBV) in working children. 27 The study reported that the prevalence among working street children was much higher than in general population. The 4.5% of children were HIV positive, 1.7% were hepatitis B positive and 2.6% hepatitis C positive. The likelihood of being HIV positive among working children of Tehran was increased by factors like having experience in trading sex, having parents who used drugs or parents infected with HCV.

Lastly, one study was a meta-analysis conducted on data of working children in 83 LMIC documented that child labor is significantly and positively related to adolescent mortality, to a population’s nutrition level, and to the presence of infectious diseases. 8

Child labor and mental health

Overall, all studies included, except one, 28 reported that child labor is associated with higher prevalence of mental and/or behavioral disorders. In addition, all studies concluded that child labor is associated with one or more forms of abuse.

A study conducted in Jordan reported a significant difference in the level of coping efficacy and psychosocial health between working non-schooled children, working school children and non-working school children. Non-working school children had a better performance on the SDQ scale. Coping efficacy of working non-schooled children was lower than that of the other groups. 29

A study conducted in Pakistan reported that the prevalence of behavioral problems among working children was 9.8%. Peer problems were most prevalent, followed by problems of conduct. 30 A study from Ethiopia 31 reported that emotional and behavioral disorders are more common among working children. However, another study in Ethiopia 28 reported a lower prevalence of mental/behavioral disorders in child laborers compared to non-working children. The stark difference between these two studies could be due to the explanation provided by Alem et al. , i.e. that their findings could have been tampered by selection bias or healthy worker effect.

A study concerned with child abuse in Bangladesh reported that the prevalence of abuse and child exploitation was widespread. Boys were more exposed. Physical assault was higher towards younger children while other types were higher towards older ones. 32 A similar study conducted in Turkey documented that 62.5% of the child laborers were subjected to abuse at their workplaces; 21.8% physical, 53.6% emotional and 25.2% sexual, 100% were subjected to physical neglect and 28.7% were subjected to emotional neglect. 33

One study focused on sexual assault among working females in Nigeria. They reported that the sexual assault rate was 77.7%. In 38.6% of assault cases, the assailant was a customer. Girls who were younger than 12 years, had no formal education, worked for more than 8 h/day, or had two or more jobs were more likely to experience sexual assault. 34

Main findings of this study

Through a comprehensive systematic review, we conclude that child labor continues to be a major public health challenge. Child labor continues to be negatively associated with the physical and psychological health of children involved. Although no cause–effect relation can be established, as all studies included are cross-sectional, studies documented higher prevalence of different health issues in working children compared to control groups or general population.

This reflects a failure of policies not only to eliminate child labor, but also to make it safer. Although there is a decline in the number of working children, the quality of life of those still engaged in child labor seems to remain low.

Children engaged in labor have poor health status, which could be precipitated or aggravated by labor. Malnutrition and poor growth were reported to be highly prevalent among working children. On top of malnutrition, the nature of labor has its effects on child’s health. Most of the studies adjusted for the daily working hours. Long working hours have been associated with poorer physical outcomes. 18 , 19 , 25 , 26 , 35 It was also reported that the likelihood of being sexually abused increased with increasing working hours. 34 The different types and sectors of labor were found to be associated with different health outcomes as well. 13 , 18 , 24 However, comparing between the different types of labor was not possible due to lack of data.

The majority of studies concluded that child labor is associated with higher prevalence of mental and behavioral disorders, as shown in the results. School attendance, family income and status, daily working hours and likelihood of abuse, in its different forms, were found to be associated with the mental health outcomes in working children. These findings are consistent with previous studies and research frameworks. 36

Child labor subjects children to abuse, whether verbally, physically or sexually which ultimately results in psychological disturbances and behavioral disorders. Moreover, peers and colleagues at work can affect the behavior of children, for example, smoking or drugs. The effects of child labor on psychological health can be long lasting and devastating to the future of children involved.

What is already known on this topic

Previous reviews have described different adverse health impacts of child labor. However, there were no previous attempts to review the collective health impacts of child labor. Working children are subjected to different risk factors, and the impacts of child labor are usually not limited to one illness. Initial evidence of these impacts was published in the 1920s. Since then, an increasing number of studies have used similar methods to assess the health impacts of child labor. Additionally, most of the studies are confined to a single country.

What this study adds

To our knowledge, this is the first review that provides a comprehensive summary of both the physical and mental health impacts of child labor. Working children are subjected to higher levels of physical and mental stress compared to non-working children and adults performing the same type of work. Unfortunately, the results show that these children are at risk of developing short and long-term health complications, physically or mentally.

Though previous systematic reviews conducted on the topic in 19 97 1 and 20 07 8 reported outcomes in different measures, our findings reflect similar severity of the health impacts of child labor. This should be alarming to organizations that set child labor as a target. We have not reviewed the policies targeting child labor here, yet our findings show that regardless of policies in place, further action is needed.

Most of the current literature about child labor follow a cross-sectional design, which although can reflect the health status of working children, it cannot establish cause–effect associations. This in turn affects strategies and policies that target child labor.

In addition, comparing the impacts of different labor types in different countries will provide useful information on how to proceed. Further research following a common approach in assessing child labor impacts in different countries is needed.

Limitations of this study

First, we acknowledge that all systematic reviews are subject to publication bias. Moreover, the databases used might introduce bias as most of the studies indexed by them are from industrialized countries. However, these databases were used for their known quality and to allow reproduction of the data. Finally, despite our recognition of the added value of meta-analytic methods, it was not possible to conduct one due to lack of a common definition for child labor, differences in inclusion and exclusion criteria, different measurements and different outcome measures. Nevertheless, to minimize bias, we employed rigorous search methods including an extensive and comprehensive search, and data extraction by two independent reviewers.

Compliance with ethical standards

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Parker DL . Child labor. The impact of economic exploitation on the health and welfare of children . Minn Med 1997 ; 80 : 10 – 2 .

Google Scholar

Hilowitz J . Child Labour: A Textbook for University Students . International Labour Office , 2004 .

Google Preview

Humphries J . Childhood and child labour in the British industrial revolution . Econ Hist Rev 2013 ; 66 ( 2 ): 395 – 418 .

Dahlén M . The negotiable child: the ILO child labour campaign 1919–1973. Diss . 2007 .

Sachs JD , McArthur JW . The millennium project: a plan for meeting the millennium development goals . Lancet 2005 ; 365 ( 9456 ): 347 – 53 .

Griggs D et al.  Policy: sustainable development goals for people and planet . Nature 2013 ; 495 ( 7441 ): 305 – 7 .

UNICEF . The state of the world’s children 2016: a fair chance for every child. Technical Report, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) 2016 .

Roggero P , Mangiaterra V , Bustreo F et al.  The health impact of child labor in developing countries: evidence from cross-country data . Am J Public Health 2007 ; 97 ( 2 ): 271 – 5 .

Hughes K , Bellis MA , Hardcastle KA et al.  The effect of multiple adverse childhood experiences on health: a systematic review and meta-analysis . Lancet Public Health 2017 ; 2 ( 8 ): e356 – 66 .

Downs SH , Black N . The feasibility of creating a checklist for the assessment of the methodological quality both of randomised and non-randomised studies of health care interventions . J Epidemiol Community Health 1998 ; 52 ( 6 ): 377 – 84 .

Ali M , Shahab S , Ushijima H et al.  Street children in Pakistan: a situational analysis of social conditions and nutritional status . Soc Sci Med 2004 ; 59 ( 8 ): 1707 – 17 .

Ambadekar NN , Wahab SN , Zodpey SP et al.  Effect of child labour on growth of children . Public Health 1999 ; 113 ( 6 ): 303 – 6 .

Ahmed S , Ray R . Health consequences of child labour in Bangladesh . Demogr Res 2014 ; 30 : 111 – 50 .

Hosseinpour M , Mohammadzadeh M , Atoofi M . Work-related injuries with child labor in Iran . Eur J Pediatr Surg 2014 ; 24 ( 01 ): 117 – 20 .

Mohammed ES , Ewis AA , Mahfouz EM . Child labor in a rural Egyptian community: an epidemiological study . Int J Public Health 2014 ; 59 ( 4 ): 637 – 44 .

Nuwayhid IA , Usta J , Makarem M et al.  Health of children working in small urban industrial shops . Occup Environ Med 2005 ; 62 ( 2 ): 86 – 94 .

Wolff FC . Evidence on the impact of child labor on child health in Indonesia, 1993–2000 . Econ Hum Biol 2008 ; 6 ( 1 ): 143 – 69 .

Hamdan-Mansour AM , Al-Gamal E , Sultan MK et al.  Health status of working children in Jordan: comparison between working and nonworking children at schools and industrial sites . Open J Nurs 2013 ; 3 ( 01 ): 55 .

Tiwari RR , Saha A . Morbidity profile of child labor at gem polishing units of Jaipur, India . Int J Occup Environ Med 2014 ; 5 ( 3 ): 125 – 9 .

Khan H , Hameed A , Afridi AK . Study on child labour in automobile workshops of Peshawar, Pakistan, 2007 .

Banerjee SR , Bharati P , Vasulu TS et al.  Whole time domestic child labor in metropolitan city of Kolkata, 2008 .

Daga AS , Working IN . Relative risk and prevalence of illness related to child labor in a rural block . Indian Pediatr 2000 ; 37 ( 12 ): 1359 – 60 .

Fassa AG , Facchini LA , Dall’Agnol MM et al.  Child labor and musculoskeletal disorders: the Pelotas (Brazil) epidemiological survey . Public Health Rep 2005 ; 120 ( 6 ): 665 – 73 .

Corriols M , Aragón A . Child labor and acute pesticide poisoning in Nicaragua: failure to comply with children’s rights . Int J Occup Environ Health 2010 ; 16 ( 2 ): 175 – 82 .

Tiwari RR . Eyestrain in working children of footwear making units of Agra, India . Indian Pediatr 2013 ; 50 ( 4 ): 411 – 3 .

Tiwari RR , Saha A , Parikh JR . Respiratory morbidities among working children of gem polishing industries, India . Toxicol Ind Health 2009 ; 25 ( 1 ): 81 – 4 .

Foroughi M , Moayedi-Nia S , Shoghli A et al.  Prevalence of HIV, HBV and HCV among street and labour children in Tehran, Iran . Sex Transm Infect 2016 ; 93 ( 6 ): 421 – 23 .

Alem AA , Zergaw A , Kebede D et al.  Child labor and childhood behavioral and mental health problems in Ethiopia . Ethiopian J Health Dev 2006 ; 20 ( 2 ): 119 – 26 .

Al-Gamal E , Hamdan-Mansour AM , Matrouk R et al.  The psychosocial impact of child labour in Jordan: a national study . Int J Psychol 2013 ; 48 ( 6 ): 1156 – 64 .

Bandeali S , Jawad A , Azmatullah A et al.  Prevalence of behavioural and psychological problems in working children . J Pak Med Assoc 2008 ; 58 ( 6 ): 345 .

Fekadu D , Alem A , Hägglöf B . The prevalence of mental health problems in Ethiopian child laborers . J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2006 Sep 1; 47 ( 9 ): 954 – 9 .

Hadi A . Child abuse among working children in rural Bangladesh: prevalence and determinants . Public Health 2000 ; 114 ( 5 ): 380 – 4 .

Öncü E , Kurt AÖ , Esenay FI et al.  Abuse of working children and influencing factors, Turkey . Child Abuse Negl 2013 ; 37 ( 5 ): 283 – 91 .

Audu B , Geidam A , Jarma H . Child labor and sexual assault among girls in Maiduguri, Nigeria . Int J Gynecol Obstet 2009 Jan 31; 104 ( 1 ): 64 – 7 .

Gross R , Landfried B , Herman S . Height and weight as a reflection of the nutritional situation of school-aged children working and living in the streets of Jakarta . Soc Sci Med 1996 Aug 1; 43 ( 4 ): 453 – 8 .

Woodhead M . Psychosocial impacts of child work: a framework for research, monitoring and intervention . Int J Child Rts 2004 ; 12 : 321 .

• developing countries
• mental health
• child labor

Email alerts

Citing articles via.

• Recommend to your Library

Affiliations

• Online ISSN 1741-3850
• Print ISSN 1741-3842
• Copyright © 2024 Faculty of Public Health
• About Oxford Academic
• Publish journals with us
• University press partners
• What we publish
• New features  
• Open access
• Institutional account management
• Rights and permissions
• Get help with access
• Accessibility
• Advertising
• Media enquiries
• Oxford University Press
• Oxford Languages
• University of Oxford

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide

• Copyright © 2024 Oxford University Press
• Cookie settings
• Cookie policy
• Privacy policy
• Legal notice

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

Sign In or Create an Account

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.

Child Labor: History, Process, and Consequences

• Living reference work entry
• First Online: 24 April 2020
• Cite this living reference work entry

• Md Nurul Momen 8  

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals ((ENUNSDG))

255 Accesses

Child labor ; Child rights ; International Labor Organization (ILO) ; United Nations (UN)

Generally, child labor refers to the working child.

Child labor is a synonym for employed or working child who has been engaged for income generation.

Child labor refers to exploitation of children from enjoying their basic human rights.

Introduction

Child labor is a contesting topic in social science research. The topic has strong implications for promoting children’s well-being, as earlier research concluded that child labor creates serious consequences on physical, social, and psychological development of children. Child labor affects access to educational institutions and academic performance; thus, it has negative consequences on the cognitive development of children. It is further added that these results may last for a long time. At micro level, these devastating effects on children affect their welfare at household level (Tang et al. 2016 ). At the macro level, child labor...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Institutional subscriptions

Abdalla I, Salma MA, Mohammed J, Jihad A, de Nanne V (2019) Child labor and health: a systematic literature review of the impacts of child labor on child’s health in low- and middle-income countries. J Public Health 41(1):18–26. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdy018

Article   Google Scholar  

Akesson B, Basso AR, Denov M (2016) The right to home: domicide as a violation of child and family rights in the context of political violence. Child Soc 30(5):369–383. https://doi.org/10.1111/chso.12174

Basu K, Tzannatos Z (2003) The global child labor problem: what do we know and what can we do? World Bank, Washington, DC. © World Bank

Google Scholar  

Dammert AC, Hoop JD, Mvukiyehe E, Rosati FC (2017) The effects of public policy on child labor: current knowledge, gaps, and implications for program design. Understanding Children’s Work (UCW) Programme, Working Paper, March 2017. http://www.ucw-project.org/attachment/10032017654Child_Labor_Impact_Evaluation_Dammert_etAl.pdf

Faraz MA (2019) Economics of child labor: a multidimensional approach. J Soc Sci Res 14:2979–2996. https://doi.org/10.24297/jssr.v14i0.8098

Ghahsareh OM, Mahmoudzadeh A (2016) Management of child labor crisis in developing countries during the process of globalization in the context of convention on the rights of the child. Int J Health Syst Disaster Manag 4:47–52

Giri VV (1965) Labor problems in Indian industry. Asia Publishing House, Bombay

Hussain M, Saud A, Khattak M u R (2017) Socio-economic determinants of working children: evidence from capital territory of Islamabad, Pakistan. Pak Adm Rev 1(2):145–158

International Labor Organization (ILO) (1982) International labor conventions and recommendations (1919–1982). ILO, Geneva

International Labor Organization (ILO) (2017) Ending child labor by 2025: a review of policies and programmes. ILO, Geneva

Khanam R, Rahman MM (2008) Child labour in developing countries: the role of education, poverty and birth order. J Soc Econ Dev 10:173–195

Khatab K, Raheem MA, Sartorius B, Ismail M (2019) Prevalence and risk factors for child labor and violence against children in Egypt using Bayesian geospatial modelling with multiple imputation. PLoS One 14(5):e0212715. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0212715

Article   CAS   Google Scholar  

Kulshreshthe JC (1978) Child labor in India. Asia Publishing House, New Delhi

Lamani RB, Venumadahava GS (2014) Child labor and child rights in India. Int J Crimin Sociol Theory 7(2):1–6

Mendelievich E (1979) Children at work. International Labor Organization (ILO), Geneva

Ortiz-Ospina E, Roser M (n.d.) Child labor. Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/child-labor

Radfar A, Asgharzadeh SAA, Quesada F, Filip I (2018) Challenges and perspectives of child labor. Ind Psychiatry J 27(1):17–20. https://doi.org/10.4103/ipj.ipj_105_14

Rogers G, Standing G (1981) Child work, poverty and underemployment. ILO, Geneva

Sasmal J, Guillen J (2015) Poverty, educational failure and the child-labour trap: the Indian experience. Glob Bus Rev 16(2):270–280. https://doi.org/10.1177/0972150914564419

Shituma Z, Sabrina M, Ashiq M, Bin GK (2014) A study on present scenario of child labor in Bangladesh. IOSR J Bus Manag 16(6, Ver. III):25–36

Taher AT (2006) Child labor in Dhaka City-dimensions and implications. Sangati Printers, Dhaka, 288pp

Tang C, Zhao L, Zhao Z (2016) Child Labor in China. IZA Discussion Papers, No 9976. Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn

United Nations (UN) (1948) The universal declaration of human rights (UDHR). (No. General Assembly Resolution 217A). United Nations General Assembly, Paris

United Nations (UN) (1966a) International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). (No. General Assembly resolution 2200A (XXI)). United Nations, New York

United Nations (UN) (1966b) International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). (No. General Assembly resolution 2200A (XXI)). United Nations, New York

United Nations (UN) (1989) Convention on the rights of the child. United Nations, New York

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) (2014) Child labor and UNICEF in action: children at the centre. UNICEF, May 2014. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/protection/files/Child_Labor_and_UNICEF_in_Action.pdf

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) (2017) Child labor. December 2017. Retrieved from https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/child-Labor/

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of Public Administration, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Md Nurul Momen

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Md Nurul Momen .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

European School of Sustainability, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

Walter Leal Filho

Center for Neuroscience & Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

Anabela Marisa Azul

Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Passo Fundo University Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Passo Fundo, Brazil

Luciana Brandli

Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey

Pinar Gökcin Özuyar

HAW Hamburg, Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

Amanda Lange Salvia

International Centre for Thriving, University of Chester, Chester, UK

Section Editor information

Pinar Gökçin Özuyar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Cite this entry.

Momen, M.N. (2020). Child Labor: History, Process, and Consequences. In: Leal Filho, W., Azul, A., Brandli, L., Özuyar, P., Lange Salvia, A., Wall, T. (eds) No Poverty. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69625-6_30-1

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69625-6_30-1

Received : 27 November 2019

Accepted : 22 December 2019

Published : 24 April 2020

Publisher Name : Springer, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-319-69625-6

Online ISBN : 978-3-319-69625-6

eBook Packages : Springer Reference Earth and Environm. Science Reference Module Physical and Materials Science Reference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• Ind Psychiatry J
• v.20(1); Jan-Jun 2011

Child labour issues and challenges

Kalpana srivastava.

Editor, IPJ

“ There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children .” – Nelson Mandela

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. However, despite its menace in various forms, the data shows variation in prevalence of child labor across the globe and the statistical figures about child labor are very alarming. There are an estimated 186 million child laborers worldwide. The 2001 national census of India estimated total number of child labor aged 5–14 to be at 12.6 million.[ 1 ] Small-scale and community-based studies have found estimated prevalence of 12.6 million children engaged in hazardous occupations. Many children are “hidden workers” working in homes or in the underground economy.[ 2 ] 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.[ 3 ] 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.[ 4 ] Indian population has more than 17.5 million working children in different industries, and incidentally maximum are in agricultural sector, leather industry, mining and match-making industries, etc.[ 5 ]

The term “child labor” is often defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical-mental development. It refers to work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children, and interferes with their schooling by depriving them of the opportunity to attend school, obliging them to leave school prematurely or requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work. The statistical figures about child workers in the world have variation because of the differences in defining categories of age group and engagement of children in formal and informal sector.[ 6 ]

Child labor continues to be a great concern in many parts of the world. In 2008, some 60% of the 215 million boys and girls were estimated to be child laborers worldwide. Major engagement was in agriculture sector, followed by fisheries, aquaculture, livestock and forestry. In addition to work that interferes with schooling and is harmful to personal development, many of these children work in hazardous occupations or activities that are harmful.[ 7 ] Incidentally, 96% of the child workers are in the developing countries of Africa, Asia and South America. With respect to the child workers between the ages of 5 and 14, Asia makes up 61% of child workers in developing countries, while Africa has 32% and Latin America 7%. Further, while Asia has the highest number of child workers, Africa has the highest prevalence of child labor (40%).[ 8 ]

LAW AND CHILD LABOR

The policy curbing child labor exists but lack of enforcement of labor restrictions perpetuates child labor. This is manifested in variation in minimum age restriction in different types of employment. The International Labor Office reports that children work the longest hours and are the worst paid of all laborers. In India, the Child Labor (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986 and Rules state that no child shall be employed or permitted to work in any of the occupations set forth in Part A of the Schedule or in any workshop wherein any of the processes set forth in Part B of the Schedule is carried on. For this purpose, “child” means a person who has not completed his 14 th year of age. The Act prohibits employment of children in certain specified hazardous occupations and processes and regulates the working conditions in others. The list of hazardous occupations and processes is progressively being expanded on the recommendation of the Child Labor Technical Advisory Committee constituted under the Act.[ 9 ]

FORMS OF CHILD LABOR

Children are employed in both formal and informal sectors. Among the occupations wherein children are engaged in work are construction work, domestic work and small-scale industries. Incidentally, agriculture is not only the oldest but also the most common child occupation worldwide. Some of the industries that depend on child labor are bangle-making, beedi-making, power looms and manufacturing processes. These industries use toxic metals and substances such as lead, mercury, manganese, chromium, cadmium, benzene, pesticides and asbestos. Child labor is very harmful and wholehearted efforts to eliminate this should be done.[ 10 ]

THE CONSEQUENCES OF CHILD LABOR

The negative impact on the physiological and psychological levels of children includes specific concerns of child labor and its consequences on mental health. It is worth noting that one-third of children of the developing world are failing to complete even 4 years of education.[ 6 ] The analysis of factors leading to engagement of children in hazardous factors elucidated socioeconomic factors as one of the important determinants. Poverty is considered as one of the contributory factors in child labor.[ 11 ]

Mental well being is less frequently researched in child labor.[ 12 ] A retrospective cohort study in Morocco randomly examined 200 children working in the handicraft sector and found a high prevalence of respiratory, digestive and skin conditions, as well as mental health presentations such as migraines, insomnia, irritability, enuresis and asthenia.[ 13 ]

In a cross-sectional survey, urban Lebanese children aged 10–17, working full-time in small industrial shops, were compared with non-working matched school children. Majority of them had poor physical health, predominantly marked with skin lesions or ear complaints and social care needs.[ 14 ] Similarly, authors aimed to find out consequences in children in Lebanon exposed to solvents, and found significantly higher rates of lightheadedness, fatigue, impaired memory and depression compared with a non-exposed group.[ 15 ] A cross-sectional study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, used diagnostic interviews to assess prevalence of mental disorders in 528 child laborers and street workers, child domestics and private enterprise workers aged between 5 and 15 years. The prevalence of mental disorders was noted to be as high as 20.1% compared with 12.5% in the general population.[ 16 ] Further study to establish the association between labor-related variables and mental health problems was carried out among 780 children engaged in labor (aged 9–18 years) in the Gaza Strip. Mental health problems of children in labor were likely to be associated with socioeconomic determinants as well as factors related to their underage employment.[ 17 ]

The physical and social consequences are deliberated by researchers; however, mental health area has not been explored so much. Studies are lacking even in Indian scenario regarding impact of child labor on mental health.

INTERVENTION AND CHILD LABOR

Education is a very important part of development. Children who are drawn to child labor are basically driven because of economic deprivation, lack of schooling and engagement of family for daily needs. Studies have found low enrollment with increased rates of child employment. Schools are the platform for early intervention against child labor, as it restricts their participation in menial jobs. Hurdles in this approach are economic reasons. Unless economic change is brought about, the children will not be able to attend the school. Child labor can be controlled by economic development increasing awareness and making education affordable across all levels, and enforcement of anti child labor laws.[ 18 ]

The Government of India has taken certain initiatives to control child labor. The National Child Labor Project (NCLP) Scheme was launched in 9 districts of high child labor endemicity in the country. Under the scheme, funds are given to the District Collectors for running special schools for child labor. Most of these schools are run by the NGOs in the district. Under the scheme, these children are provided formal/informal education along with vocational training, and a stipend of Rs. 100 per month. Health check-up is also done for them.

Poverty is one of the important factors for this problem. Hence, enforcement alone cannot help solve it. The Government has been laying a lot of emphasis on the rehabilitation of these children and on improving the economic conditions of their families.

Many NGOs like CARE India, Child Rights and You, Global March Against Child Labor, etc., have been working to eradicate child labor in India. The child labor can be stopped when knowledge is translated into legislation and action, moving good intention and ideas into protecting the health of the children. The endurance of young children is higher and they cannot protest against discrimination. Focusing on grassroots strategies to mobilize communities against child labor and reintegration of child workers into their homes and schools has proven crucial to breaking the cycle of child labor. A multidisciplinary approach involving specialists with medical, psychological and socio-anthropological level is needed to curb this evil.[ 19 ]

It is in this context that we have to take a relook at the landmark passing of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act 2009, which marks a historic moment for the children of India. For the first time in India's history, children will be guaranteed their right to quality elementary education by the state with the help of families and communities. The world cannot reach its goal to have every child complete primary school by 2015 without India. Although there have been significant improvements in the proportion of children from socially disadvantaged groups in school, gaps still remain. Girls are still less likely to enroll in school than boys; in 2005, for upper primary school (Grades 6–8) girls’ enrollment was still 8.8 points lower than boys, for Scheduled Tribes (ST) the gender gap was 12.6 points and it was 16 points for Scheduled Castes (SC). RTE provides a ripe platform to reach the unreached, with specific provisions for disadvantaged groups such as child laborers, migrant children, children with special needs, or those who have a “disadvantage owing to social, cultural economical, geographical, linguistic, gender or such other factors.” Bringing 8 million out-of-school children into classes at the age-appropriate level with the support to stay in school and succeed poses a major challenge. Substantial efforts are essential to eliminate disparities and ensure quality with equity. Successful implementation of the Act would certainly go a long way in eradicating child labor in India.

Child Labor

The Economic Policy Institute’s child labor research examines the role of strong labor standards in ensuring equal economic and educational opportunity for all children. Our work, including ground-breaking research, thought leadership, and advocacy, is focused on assessing the strengths or weaknesses of existing state and federal child labor policies, documenting ongoing coordinated attacks on protections for young workers, and proposing reforms to advance children’s rights to safe, age-appropriate work and fair compensation. As part of this agenda, EPI works in close coordination with partners in the Economic Analysis and Research Network (EARN) and in national child labor coalitions, provides expert analysis to the media and other stakeholders, and seeks to raise awareness through public events.

More states have strengthened child labor laws than weakened them in 2024

This year, state advocates were better equipped to organize in opposition to harmful bills | read the blog, eight states have enacted child labor rollbacks so far in 2024 : thirty-one states have introduced bills to weaken child labor protections since 2021.

Note : "Enacted*" indicates that a state has enacted a bill, but other bills in that state have failed or are pending legislative action. "Mixed" indicates that a state has multiple bills at different stages of the legislative process, but none have been enacted. Map last updated May 30, 2024.

Source: EPI analysis of state legislative activity and news related to child labor legislation.

Copy the code below to embed this chart on your website.

Twenty states have proposed measures to address weak and outdated child labor laws in 2024 alone : Map of state legislation strengthening child labor protections, 2021–2024

Notes : "Enacted*" indicates that a state has enacted a bill, but other bills in that state have failed or are pending legislative action. "Mixed" indicates that a state has multiple bills at different stages of the legislative process, but none have been enacted. Map last updated June 21, 2024.

By Content:

More states have strengthened child labor laws than weakened them in 2024 : this year, state advocates were better equipped to organize in opposition to harmful bills, policies for states and localities to fight oppressive child labor, child labor remains a key state legislative issue in 2024 : state lawmakers must seize opportunities to strengthen standards, resist ongoing attacks on child labor laws, youth subminimum wages and why they should be eliminated : young workers face pay discrimination in 34 states and dc, top epi reports and blogs in 2023 : child labor, economics of abortion bans, and teacher pay among the most read epi research, the rise of u.s. child labor, and how we can fight back, as some states attack child labor protections, other states are strengthening standards, florida legislature proposes dangerous rollback of child labor protections : at least 16 states have introduced bills putting children at risk, states across the country are quietly lowering the alcohol service age : an industry already rife with abuse—including child labor law violations—would like your server to be an underage teenager, iowa governor signs one of the most dangerous rollbacks of child labor laws in the country : 14 states have now introduced bills putting children at risk, child labor laws are under attack in states across the country : amid increasing child labor violations, lawmakers must act to strengthen standards.

Advancing social justice, promoting decent work ILO is a specialized agency of the United Nations

Child labour remains a persistent problem in the world today. It is a complex phenomenon as not all work done by children can be regarded as child labour . A distinction must be made between child labour, on the one hand, and children’s activities considered part of a natural socialisation process, on the other hand. Children in child labour are those entering the labour market, or those taking on too much work and too many duties at too early an age.

Numbers on the extent, characteristics and determinants of child labour are provided by the Research and Evaluation Unit of the ILO’s Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work Branch (FUNDAMENTALS). FUNDAMENTALS assists countries in the collection, documentation, processing and analysis of child labour statistics and provides manuals, tools and training materials accordingly.

Main figures on child labour

Latest global estimates on child labour.

Child Labour: Global estimates 2020, trends and the road forward

This report takes stock of where we stand in the global effort to end child labour and describes the scale and key characteristics of child labour today, and changes over time. What the report tells us is alarming. Global progress against child labour has stalled for the first time since we began producing global estimates two decades ago. These results constitute an important reality check in meeting the international commitment to end child labour by 2025. If we do not muster the will and resources to act now on an unprecedented scale, the timeline for ending child labour will stretch many years into the future.

• Full report (pdf)
• Executive Summary (pdf)
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Methodology of the 2020 Global Estimates of Child Labour (pdf)

Country reports

• Rapid assessment on child labour in agriculture in Kosovo
• Nepal Child Labour Report 2021
• Viet Nam National Child Labour Survey 2018
• Rapid Assessment on Child Domestic Work in Myanmar

Research reports

• Meta-analysis of the effects of interventions on child labour
• Understanding informality and child labour in sub-Saharan Africa
• Understanding and addressing child labour across the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus
• Issue paper on child labour and climate change

Manuals, guidelines and tools

• Ethical guidelines for research on child labour
• Model questionnaire for child labour modular surveys
• Model questionnaire for child labour stand-alone surveys
• Research for Policy Guidance
• Evidence Gap Map on Child Labour

ICLS and child labour

The International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS) is the authoritative body to set global standards in labour statistics. Its 18th session in 2008, adopted the Resolution concerning statistics on child labour setting standards for child labour statistics. In 2018, the 20th ICLS adopted amendments to the 2008 Resolution concerning statistics on child labour to harmonize it with the international statistical standards on work and employment adopted by the 19th ICLS (2013). The ICLS resolution aims to set standards for the collection, compilation and analysis of national child labour statistics, to guide countries in updating their existing statistical system in this field or to establish such a system. The standards should also help to facilitate the international comparability of child labour statistics by minimizing methodological differences across countries.

• Resolution to amend the 18th ICLS resolutions concerning statistics of child labour - 20th ICLS 2018
• Report III - Child labour statistics - 18th ICLS 2008

The Edvocate

• Lynch Educational Consulting
• Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
• Write For Us
• The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
• The Edvocate Podcast
• Terms and Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Assistive Technology
• Best PreK-12 Schools in America
• Child Development
• Classroom Management
• Early Childhood
• EdTech & Innovation
• Education Leadership
• First Year Teachers
• Gifted and Talented Education
• Special Education
• Parental Involvement
• Policy & Reform
• Best Colleges and Universities
• Best College and University Programs
• HBCU’s
• Higher Education EdTech
• Higher Education
• International Education
• The Awards Process
• Finalists and Winners of The 2023 Tech Edvocate Awards
• Award Seals
• GPA Calculator for College
• GPA Calculator for High School
• Cumulative GPA Calculator
• Grade Calculator
• Weighted Grade Calculator
• Final Grade Calculator
• The Tech Edvocate
• AI Powered Personal Tutor

Teaching Students About McNamara’s Role in the Vietnam War

Teaching students about gary sandy: a look into the life and career of the talented actor, teaching students about ozzy osbourne’s biography, teaching students about the evolution of ape to man, teaching students about the standard oil company and john d. rockefeller, teaching students about lassi: a refreshing cultural experience, teaching students about the origin of the word “meme”, teaching students about land mines: an important lesson in global awareness, teaching students about how the atmosphere acquires most of its energy from the sun, teaching students about tim minchin: a multidisciplinary approach, good child labor essay topics.

Good Child Labour Project Topics

• Intermittent Child Labor and Its Implications for Child Labor Estimates
• Beyond the Standard Economic Assumption of Monetary Poverty, Understanding Child Labor
• Vulnerability to Climate Change, Community Resilience, and Child Labor
• The Industrial Revolution and Child Labor
• Child Labor Is Not Always Harmful to Society
• An Examination of Child Labor in Nineteenth-Century England
• Child Labor and Its Impact on Children and Families
• An Overview of Child Labor in Third-World Countries
• Child Labor Ban in Developing Countries
• Child Labor and International Migration in Developing Countries
• Child Labor: A Historical Role with Implications for the Future

Interesting Child Labour Essay Topics

• The Trade-Off Between Child Labor and Schooling in India
• The Role of Trade and Offshoring in Child Labor Determination
• Human Rights Concerning Child Labor
• Mortality, Education, and Child Labor
• The Role of Education, Poverty, and Birth Order in Child Labor in Developing Countries
• Child Labor Education Programme
• Breaking Conventional Wisdom: Legalizing Child Labor
• The Intriguing Relationship Between Adult Minimum Wage and Child Labor
• Microfinance’s Unintended Consequences: An Increase in Child Labor in Some Contexts
• Child Labor, School Attendance, and Academic Achievement
• Child Labor in Victorian England
• Child Labor is a Violation of Human Rights
• Essay on Child Labor and Its Impact on Children
• Agricultural Dualism, Child Labor, and Subsidy Policies
• Voting with Your Children: A Pro-Child Labor Law Analysis
• Taking Children Out of the Hands of Child Labor
• Child Labor in the Nineteenth Century
• Child Labor and Trade Liberalization in a Developing Economy
• Impact of Trade vs Non-Trade Policies on Child Labor Incidence
• Child Labor and Social Responsibility

Research Questions on Child Labour

• What Is Child Labor and How Can It Be Prevented?
• Does Globalization Boost Child Labor?
• Why Would Prohibiting the Worst Forms of Child Labor Harm Poor Countries?
• Was There Child Labor in Victorian England?
• Child Labor’s Income Elasticity: Do Cash Transfers Help the Poorest Children?
• Is Fair Trade Labeling Effective in Combating Child Labor?
• How Can We Find a Balance Between Child Labor and Human Capital Formation?
• Is There Still Child Labor Today?
• Is Child Labor Required During the Industrial Revolution?
• What Is Child Labor and How Does It Occur?
• What Is the Relationship Between Child Labor and Mother’s Work?
• Is There a Child Labor Force Underground?
• What Do You Need to Know About Child Labor?
• Can WTO Members Rely on Citizen Concerns to Prevent Corporations from Importing Child Labor-Made Goods?
• Who Should We Ask About Child Labor Measurement?
• What Is the Most Commonly Accepted Reason for Child Labor?
• What Exactly Is Child Labor?
• Should Child Labor Be Outlawed Worldwide?
• What Are the Costs of Human Capital and Child Labor?
• Does Child Labor Displace Education?
• Why Did Child Labor Decline in the United Kingdom in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries?
• What Exactly Was Child Labor?
• Is Health Insurance Effective in Reducing Child Labor and Educational Gaps?
• What Is the Impact of Child Labor on Academic Achievement?
• Is Overpopulation is the Primary Cause of Child Labor?
• Is Child Labor Harmful to Children’s Education and Health?
• Is Child Labor Affecting School Attendance and Performance?
• What Is the Relationship Between Child Labor and Trade Liberalization?
• What are the United Nations Preventive Measures Against Child Labor?
• Child Labor, Core Labour Standards, and FDI: Friends or Foes?

20 Ways to Support Students Who Throw ...

Stereotype threat: everything you need to know.

Matthew Lynch

Related articles more from author, ancient greece essay topics, unique animal farm essay topics, good research topics about idealism, essay topics about communism, simple & easy nervous system essay topics, research topics about beethoven.

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

research proposal on the topic child labour

Related Papers

Mayank Samuel , Oshoneesh Waghmare

IOSR Journals

Public Policy and Administration Research

shazia Nasrullah

Md. Anis Rahaman

Nivedita Singh

Educational Research (ISSN: 2141- …

Dr. Sanjay Mohapatra

The Journal of Social Sciences Research

Shadiya M O H A M E D Baqutayan

The world has accomplished progress in human right and child education under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); the goal that comprises end modern slavery and human trafficking and secures the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms, nevertheless, child labor issues are continuing to spread to many countries in the world. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to address the issue of child labor and factor that help to eliminate child labor issues in Malaysia. Data were collected through an online survey; the participants included twenty-nine (29) Malaysian civil services. The finding of this research indicated that, although the cost for hiring the children is low compare to the adult as highlighted in supply and demand side, few factors preventing community to use the child as a laborer like religion, awareness/knowledge, humanity, ethic, and culture, theref...

Sweta Dvivedi

The problem of child labour is a global problem. Large numbers of children are involved in agriculture, fishing, manufacturing, mining, and domestic works. Some of them are involved in very hazardous work as well as in illicit activities like the child trafficking, drug trade and serving as soldiers. These works keep them far from the school as well as block their physical and mental development. In India there is a large number of child labourers. According to ILO, India has the largest number of children labourers than any other country in the world. No doubt, our second largest population in the world is a major factor of this problem but this is not only the factor of this problem. This paper discusses about the factors which are root cause for child labour.

International Business Research

Md.Aoulad Hosen

The concepts of child labor and child education both are inversely linked with each other in terms of execution. Child labor does not allow child education and vice versa. Between the two types of economic ideologies normative approach promote child education but other ideology i.e. positive approach have preferred child labor. It is factual that, child labor, however, become a burden for every economy. It is a serious problem in any nation. Economy never accepts child labor and the high volume of child labor creates liability on economy. Any job of children always treated as the problem of underemployment through the labor market framework and all child work are strongly prohibited by ILO. The main aims of this paper find out the basic causes of children are recognized as child labor and try to know the causes behind existence a negative relationship between child education and child labor. In Bangladesh, the volume of child labor is so high, near about 4.7 million children, age limit of 5-14 years of age were economically active and percentage of labor force participation rate was 13.4 in the year 2002-03 [National Child Labor Survey (NCLS)]. On the other hand, the figure of informal activities of children is higher than above figure. If we compare with South–Asia, our labor force participation rate is higher than rest of the nations. So policy maker should concentrate to ameliorate education of children and reduce child participation (reduce in number) in economic activity as well as unpaid work.

Shweta Jain

Loading Preview

Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.

RELATED PAPERS

B Suresh Lal, PhD

isara solutions

International Research Journal Commerce arts science

awmber latif

Sumita Roy , Afrina Akter , Abdullah-Al- Faisal

Dr. Anwaar Mohyuddin

Bhupendra Verma

International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development

Chandigarh University

alper karademir

Dr Sandip Satbhai

Anish Yadav

Pramesh Ghimire

Hari Bhattarai

raman rajendran

Jayprakash Jani

RAJMAN GURUNG

IJRD SUBMISSION DESK

International Journal of Science and Research IJSR)

VIDYASAGAR UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

TUSHAR DAKUA

Interal Res journa Managt Sci Tech

JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association

Saleema Gulzar

Dilip R Khairnar

Shamrendra Vikram

IJSRP Journal

IJARIIE JOURNAL

RELATED TOPICS

•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024

University Library

Child Labor

• Get Started
• Background Information
• Related Topics

How to Research This Topic

Follow the steps below to begin your research. To find additional resources and research tips, use the navigation on the left.​​

• Global Social Issues : An Encyclopedia Step 1: Try this resource to gather background information.
• Library Catalog Step 2: Try this resource to find books.
• America: History & Life with Full Text This link opens in a new window Step 3: Try this resource to read scholarly articles. more... less... Alternate Access Link
• ChildFund International Step 4: Try this resource to locate statistics to support your argument.
• Ask a Librarian
• Research, Writing, and Speaking Support
• Writers Workshop
• Next: Background Information >>
• Last Updated: Jun 20, 2024 1:52 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.illinois.edu/childlabor

Review Protocol

• Child Labor Review Protocol

Trending Resources

• The short-term effectiveness of a college-based financial reality simulation in building financial awareness (Hunter & Gillen, 2015)
• An assessment of the effectiveness of prison work release programs on post-release recidivism and employment. (Bales et al. 2015)
• Work-focused cognitive behavioral therapy to complement vocational services for people with mental illness: Pilot study outcomes across a 6-month posttreatment follow-up (Kukla et al., 2019)

Child Labor

The child labor evidence review examines the existing causal evidence on child labor and child work targeted for elimination. Child labor refers to the engagement of children in prohibited work. While the definition of child labor is guided by International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions and resolutions, there is no single definition across nations. Moreover, definitions may change over time, and the terminology and concepts used to categorize child labor (and to distinguish from working children) may be inconsistent in published studies and research reports. CLEAR acknowledges differing definitions of child labor by country but does not validate the definition of child labor or assess the validity of authors’ constructs within individual studies for the country in which the program or intervention being examined occurs. For each study in the review, CLEAR assesses the quality of the causal evidence and summarizes its approach, findings, and the intervention examined.

Synthesis Reports

Synthesis reports look at the research evidence across studies within a topic area. They also highlight gaps in the literature, and suggest areas in which further research is needed.

Child Labor Synthesis

Conditional cash transfers (CCTs) reduced child work/child labor and improved school participation outcomes but the effectiveness differed by child characteristics and outcomes.

Unconditional cash transfers (UCT) reduced child work/child labor and improved school participation.

Training/TA programs may decrease child work/child labor and increase school participation.

Food programs had mixed impacts on child work/child labor outcomes but favorable school participation outcomes.

Only one high-rated study of a scholarship program had favorable impacts on child work/child labor and school participation outcomes.

The only high-rated study of an “other” intervention found improved child labor and school participation outcomes.

• Recent Research

Recently Added

CLEAR searches the existing literature for research relevant to this topic area's focus. Browse the most recently reviewed research below.

Program Keluarga Harapan: Main findings from the impact evaluation of Indonesia’s pilot household conditional cash transfer program (World Bank 2011)

Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis

Causal Evidence Rating: Moderate Causal Evidence

Productive safety net program and children’s time use between work and schooling in Ethiopia (Woldehanna 2010)

Causal Evidence Rating: Low Causal Evidence

Educational and child labour impacts of two food-for-education schemes: Evidence from a randomised trial in rural Burkina Faso (Kazianga et al. 2012)

Causal Evidence Rating: High Causal Evidence

Impact evaluation: Combating worst forms of child labor by reinforcing policy response and promoting sustainable livelihoods and educational opportunities in Egypt, 2011-2012 (ICF International 2013)

The impact of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program on schooling and child labor (Hoddinott, Gilligan, and Taffessee 2009)

The impact of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program on schooling and child labor (Hoddinott et al. 2009)

CLEAR Icon Key

Below is a key for icons used to indicate important details about a study, such as its type, evidence rating, and outcome findings.

High Causal Evidence

Strong evidence the effects are caused by the examined intervention.

Moderate Causal Evidence

Evidence that the effects are caused to some degree by the examined intervention.

Low Causal Evidence

Little evidence that the effects are caused by the examined intervention.

Causal Impact Analysis

Uses quantitative methods to assess the effectiveness of a program, policy, or intervention.

Descriptive Analysis

Describes a program, policy, or intervention using qualitative or quantitative methods.

Implementation Analysis

Examines the implementation of a program, policy, or intervention.

The study found at least one favorable impact in the outcome domain, and no unfavorable impacts.

The study found some favorable and some unfavorable impacts in the outcome domain.

The study found no statistically significant impacts in the outcome domain.

Unfavorable

The study found at least one unfavorable impact in the outcome domain, and no favorable impacts.

Not applicable

Not applicable because no outcomes were examined in the outcome domain.

Favorable - low evidence

The study found at least one favorable impact in the outcome domain, and no unfavorable impacts. The study received a low causal evidence ratings so these findings should be interpreted with caution.

Mixed - low evidence

The study found some favorable and some unfavorable impacts in the outcome domain. The study received a low causal evidence ratings so these findings should be interpreted with caution.

None - low evidence

The study found no statistically significant impacts in the outcome domain. The study received a low causal evidence ratings so these findings should be interpreted with caution.

Unfavorable - low evidence

The study found at least one unfavorable impact in the outcome domain, and no favorable impacts. The study received a low causal evidence ratings so these findings should be interpreted with caution.