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

Ibrahim, Abdalla; Abdalla, Salma M; Jafer, Mohammed; Abdelgadir, Jihad; Vries, Nanne de

doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdy018

Cited by 118 publications

(88 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…This study, one of the largest and most comprehensive child labour surveys globally,13 14 describes the dire housing, sociodemographic and occupational characteristics of Syrian refugee children in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon. Children, some as young as 4, are forced to work, and many are compelled to forgo educational opportunities in favour of harsh and potentially harmful labour.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies of child labour and health are generally limited to small, unrepresentative samples of low methodological quality that enquire about work-related physical injury and harmful exposures, nutritional health, and psychosocial health 13 14. The Middle East is one of several understudied regions with respect to child labour, which is disconcerting given that regional instability is likely to encourage child labour.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Displacement, deprivation and hard work among Syrian refugee children in Lebanon

et al. 2019

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BackgroundThe protracted Syrian war resulted in the largest refugee crisis of our time. The most vulnerable are children who face separation from parents, interruption of schooling and child labour. This study explores the living and working conditions of Syrian children in Lebanon.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we randomly selected 153 informal tented settlements and conducted interviewer-administered surveys among Syrian refugee working children in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon. Those aged 8–18 completed a questionnaire on sociodemographic and occupational characteristics; those aged 4–8 years were surveyed through a household questionnaire.ResultsWe surveyed 1902 households, including 12 708 individuals and 4377 working children. Female-headed households were poorer and more food-insecure than male-headed households. Among working children (4–18 years), the average age of starting work was 10.9 years and 74.8% worked in agriculture. Compared with boys, girls earned less and were less likely to be enrolled in school. For 96.3% of working children aged 8–18 years, forced exodus to Lebanon was associated with a first child labour experience. Working conditions were harsh and worse for girls who compared to boys were less likely to receive their salary on time and take time off work. Girls worked longer in the sun and cold and were more likely to report having a health symptom at work, working under pressure and using sharp or heavy objects at work. Seventy-nine children reported knowing another child who died following a work accident.ConclusionChildren, as young as 4, are forced to work, and many are compelled to forgo educational opportunities in favour of harsh and harmful labour due to difficult economic conditions. State policies facilitating access to work for adult refugees will help families meet basic needs and decrease their dependence on child labour as a coping strategy.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Displacement, deprivation and hard work among Syrian refugee children in Lebanon

et al. 2019

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“…We conjecture that more work time weakens a child's resistance to disease and increases the prevalence of malnutrition (more work increases the calorific intake required to avoid malnutrition). The meta‐study by Ibrahim, Abdalla, Jafer, Abdelgadir, and De Vries () shows that there is substantial evidence for both of these channels in a wide variety of developing countries, and there is no reason to suppose that Ethiopia is an exception.…”

Section: Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Counting the uncounted: The consequences of children's domestic chores for health and education in Ethiopia

Dinku

Fielding

Genç

2019

Review Development Economics

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“…Child labour is physically, mentally, socially and morally dangerous and harmful to children, and also negatively relates to school attendance and learning. 28,29 Although there is provision of free and compulsory education for children between 6 to 14 years of age, and prohibition of employment of children between 14 to 18 years of age in hazardous occupations in Constitution of India, yet child labour is quite prevalent in India. 30 Children are forced into labor and sometimes in hazardous occupations due to poverty and to pay family debt.…”

Section: Child Labourmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shifting of economic responsibilities on vulnerable shoulders for survival of families: a scenario from mining industry in India

Raghav

Jaiswal

Gupta

et al. 2019

Preprint

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Context: Mining industry has boomed precipitously to provide for demand of metal and minerals for emerging infrastructure. It is major occupation in India involving large work force, although it is hazardous. Aims: To assess the socio-demographic profile of sandstone mine workers in Jodhpur and to identify their major social issues.Material and Methods: Study design: Cross-sectional study; Setting: Residential area of mine workers, Jodhpur, Rajasthan; Participants: Mine workers residing in residential areas in Jodhpur district for more than 6 months, and who gave consent for participation in study.Data on socioeconomic status and occupation of each family members was collected;Analysis: Data was analysed using SPSS v.23. P value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant.Results: One thousand six hundred four mine workers were enrolled in study. More than three fourth (78.7%) of them were male. Their age ranged between 14 to 82 years with mean age of 37.62 ± 12.30 years. Mean age of female workers was significantly higher than of male workers. Average years of working for males was significantly higher than females.Mean age of entry into mines for male workers (20.33 ± 6.69) was significantly lower than females (24.59 ± 8.52). About 2.68% children below 14 years of age were involved in any sort of income generation activity. Conclusions: Majority of mine workers were of young age group. Major socioeconomic issues found were illiteracy, child marriage, child labour, loneliness and shifting economic responsibilities on females.Strengths and limitations: Robust dataset, complete enumeration, large sample size.

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

Cited by 118 publications

References 33 publications

Displacement, deprivation and hard work among Syrian refugee children in Lebanon

Displacement, deprivation and hard work among Syrian refugee children in Lebanon

Counting the uncounted: The consequences of children's domestic chores for health and education in Ethiopia

Shifting of economic responsibilities on vulnerable shoulders for survival of families: a scenario from mining industry in India

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