Why do children engage in labour instead of going to school?
This is a complex question to answer and different children have different reasons. Generally speaking, however, these are the reasons most often given by children, their communities and experts:

• Lack of universal primary education: there is a direct correlation between countries without universal primary education and high levels of child labour. For example, Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia have the highest proportion of child labourers, as well as the lowest levels of universal primary education.
• Difficulties combining work and school: children may be tired or have health problems caused by their work. They can be stigmatised by other children or may be unable to take time off work during school hours.
• Lack of quality, accessible, affordable formal schooling: this may put children and their families off schooling as a way of developing a career. Work may be seen as a better economic investment, especially if fees or the cost of travel, uniforms and stationery are beyond the budget of a poor family. Lack of teachers is a problem in many rural areas. In Malawi, for example, three teachers are dying from AIDS every day which has a dramatic impact on schooling.
• Gender and other inequalities: girls are at particular risk of exclusion from school and comprise around 60 per cent of the children worldwide who do not attend primary school. Children may also be unable to attend school due to their background. This may include ethnic minority children, children with disabilities, those of low caste and the poorest children.
• Poor enforcement of labour legislation: lack of labour inspectors and social workers to monitor child labour and push children into schooling.
• Need for a family income: children who have been orphaned or whose parents are unable to work may need to work to support their family. This is a big problem in countries that have been affected by war or that have been ravaged by AIDS.

What can we do?
There are no simple solutions. Each child engaged in labour is different. She has a unique background, individual aspirations, and a distinct workplace. Many organisations and individuals are doing different things, at different levels, to support these children and their families.

For example, through the fair trade movement, parents are paid a decent wage for their work, so they can afford to send their children to school. The Jubilee 2000 campaign for debt relief has helped reduce the debt of some national governments. This allows them to invest more in education. International organisations, such as Save the Children, Anti-Slavery International and the International Labour Organization, support local organisations who provide alternatives to child labour, in many countries. You can read about these by following the links in the further reading section.

Initiatives that tackle international trade and labour standards need to go hand in hand with immediate support for the learning and skills development of this generation of child and youth labourers. We also need policy changes to ensure future generations have access to a quality, formal education system. Such a system needs to be responsive to the short and long-term needs of children and the labour market. Only by taking such a holistic approach can the inter-generational cycle of child labour be broken.

Further reading 
International Labour Organization 
Save the Children
Global March Against Child Labour 
Anti-Slavery International  
ECLT Foundation
Ethical Trading Initiative
Rugmark
UN Global Compact
Understanding Children's Work 

  < previous   Page 2 of 2

Content last updated: 08/05/2006

Comments