SOCIO-ECONOMIC CAUSES OF CHILD LABOUR AND ITS

IMPACT ON FAMILY INCOME

(A Case Study in District Mardan)

CHAPTER-1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 INTRODUCTION

A Healthy society depends on healthy body and mind. A nation’s strength lies not in its

material resources but in its manpower. Today’s children are tomorrow’s nation builders.

Societies do not want stress the life of children but want to grow the children. For many

years, child labour has been one of the biggest obstacles to social developments. It is a

challenge and long term goal in many countries to abolish all forms of child labour.

Especially in developing countries, it is considered as a serious issue these days. Child

labour refers to children who miss their childhood and are not able to have basic amenities

which a child should have.

The international labour organization estimated there are around 215 million children

between the ages of five to fourteen who works worldwide. They are often mistreated and

work for prolonged hours; in very bad conditions these can affect their health physically,

mentally and economically. These children do not have the basic rights like access to

school or health care. Every child has the right the basic necessities i.e. to play and enjoy

life, to safe healthy environment the right to education and self respect. The turn child

labor is often define is work that deprives children of their childhood their potential and

their dignity and that is harmful to physical and mental development and also morally and

socially dangers to children. To begin with, it is not clear how to define “child”. In the

West, it is customary to do so by chronological age, but in many societies cultural and

social factors enter as well (Rodgers and Standing, 1981).

Child labour is a viewed as a form of child labour abuse, when children work in bad

conditions and hazardous occupations (Edmonds and Pavcnik). Any work by children that

interfere with their fully physical development, the opportunity for a described minimum

of education for their needed recreation (Folks 1987). Any mental or physical work which

done by a child for earning wages is called child labor (Ahmad 1987). All children under

the fourteen years in work or employment with the aim of earning a livelihood for

themselves or for their families is called child labor’’ (Shah 1997).

The term child labour refers to situations where children are compelled to work on a

regular basis to earn a living for themselves and their families and as a result, are

disadvantaged educationally and socially. It also applies to situations where children work

in condition that is exploitative and damaging to their health and to their physical and

mental development. Where children are separated from their families often deprived of

educational training opportunities and where children are forced to lead prematurely adult

lives.

Through various observation studies it is evident that child labor is global phenomena.

Million of the children in the world, especially in the poor and backward countries are

child labor. Child labour performing work in these sectors. Agricultural sector comprises

activities in hunting, forestry, and fishing. The industry includes mining and quarrying,

manufacturing, construction, and public utilities i.e. electricity, gas, and water. The

services consist of whole sale and retail trade, restaurants, hotels, transport, storage, and

business services.

Child labor is very serious in challenging issue in the civilized societies around the world.

Unfortunately there are millions of children in Pakistan who have been deprived of these

basically necessary rights. Most Pakistani children work in the agricultural sector large

number of children work in urban centers viewing carpets, producing sports good for

export. The total number of child in Pakistan falling in the age group of 5-14 years was 40

million. The total number of economically active children was found 3.3 million i.e. (83

%) in the country 67 percent (2.7 million) were engaged in agricultural while 11 percent

were in manufacturing. Majority of the child worker i.e. 73 percent were found to be boys

while 27 percent were girl’s majority of the child workers (58.6 % i.e.1.94 million) were

founded in Punjab. Three fourth of the working children are working unpaid family

members while in the urban area this ratio in one third. Total children in Punjab 22.63

million and child labor is 1.94 million and sindh total children is 8.62 million and child

labor is .13 million and children in Khyber pakhtunkhwa 6.71 million and child labor is

1.06 million and Baluchistan total children is 2.07 million and child labor is .01 million the

all children in Pakistan is 40.03 million and total child labor is 3.31 million.

1.2 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY:

1) To identify the socio-economic causes of child labour.

2) To find out the impact of child labour on family income.

1.3 HYPOTHESES:

1) Low level of income is the main cause of child labor.

2) Child labor has a rule in family income.

1.4 ORGANAZATION OF THE STUDY:

The whole study has been divided in to 6 chapters. The 1 st chapter is introduction. The 2nd

chapter covers Literature review. The 3rd chapter is a profile of child labour in Pakistan.

The 4th chapter about research methodology. The 5th chapter consists of data analysis and

tabulation. And the last 6th chapter includes findings, conclusions and recommendations.

CHAPTER- 2

REVIEW OF LITRATURE

There is a rich literature about ‘Factor’s Leading To child Labour’ but keeping in view

the objective of the study, some of the important literature has been reviewed and

mentioned as given below.

Hussain ( 1987), suggested that in most profession child workers contributes a substantial

proportion of total family income and are obliged to work because of poverty pressure in

the family that is in order to start supplementing family income at an early age. The

pressure to supplement family income can be guided by the fact that child worker’s are

prepared to work typically 54 to 72 hours a week. The working hours of children longer

than their adult counter parts. This is another indicator of economic pressures on the family

that free obliged children to work at an age when they would rather be in schools.

Kaushik Basu (2002) concluded that most parents send their children to work when

compelled by the poverty; one would expect a rise in adult wage to lower child labour.

However if the rise in wage is achieved by a minimum wage law, its impacts can be

intriguing. It can for instance, causes some adults to be unemployed and send their children

to work which in turn displaces more adult labour and sends more children to work. It

solves this process and predicts the incidence of child labour. It shows that for appropriate

parametric configuration, child labour may fall or rise as the adult minimum wage is

raised.

According to Asep Suryahadi (2005) the problems of child labour in Indonesia, although

generally less prevalent than in other developing countries at a similar stage of

development is significant.As in other countries this studies find a strong link between the

child labour largely mirroring the profits of poverty.Furthermore poverty is found to be an

important determinant of whether children work. However working does not always

completely eliminate a child’s opportunity to obtain formal education. Children from poor

households can still go to school by undertaking part time work to pat for their education,

implying that banning these children from working may force them to drop out of school

instead. Since the phenomenon of child labour is strongly associated with and determined

by poverty, the most effective policy for eliminating child labour through poverty

alleviation. Other policies that can faster the rate of reduction in child labour are those

which make it easier for children from poor families to access education and increase the

opportunity cost of working by improving the quality of education. Such policies will

increase the rate of return to education.

Assefa admassie (2002) studied causes for the rise in child labour in Africa. The result

show that high incidence of poverty , the predominance of a poorly developed agriculture

sector, high fertility rates leading to high population growth and low education

participation. Contrary to some recent arguments, which questioned the direct link between

poverty and child labour, the result of this study show that poverty is indeed one of the

most important reason for the high incidence of child labour.

Naheed, A (2001) concluded that poverty is the most important factor resulting in child

labour. However other factors include issues such as the level of parent’s education,

unemployment, debts and poor quality system of education. The study process policy

intervention that enhance employment and income earning opportunities for adults and

encourage primary schooling for children. In addition there is a requirement for the

effective implementation of labour law.

Lise Ersado (2004) studies the causes of child labour. He found that while poverty is the

main cause of child labour in rural areas, there is a general lack of support for the poverty

hypothesis in urban areas. Similarly improved access to credit has a great potential for

alleviating child labour and enhancing school attendance in rural areas. On the other hand

availability of alternative child care options promises greater impact in urban areas. Finally

the evidence from all countries suggest that efforts to boster adult educational level and

wage will help curb the prevalence and intensity of child labour and improve the

likelihood that children stay in school.

Anker and Melkas (1995) conducted that child labour also occurs because poor households

cannot issue themselves adequately against income fluctuation. Poor families pull their

children out of school to provide labour in the face of an income shortfall. Parents put

children to work as part of a survival strategy to minimize the risk of an interruption of the

income stream (Which may be caused by failed harvests or loss of employment of an adult

household member). Interruption in the income stream in naturally more severe for poor

households, as it can be life threatening. Thus for extremely poor households, child labour

seems quite rational, broadening the base of income source.

De Vries et al (2001) reports that children working in the pyrotechnics industry feel

exhausted at the day after long hours of work in adquatting or standard position. Children

lost their interest in school work because of psychological benefits of earning their own

income. In addition their working overtime does not make it possible to continue their

studies.

Bibi (1980) in Pakistan, reported that majority of the parents sent their children to work

due to poor economic condition. She reported that thousand of the children under age of 15

years were working under high unhygienic condition and ratio of female working was

higher than male. They were low paid and had to work for 60 – 90 hours a week.

Black (1995) carried out a study in for major tourist destination: Kenya, Mexico,

Philippine and sri lanka, where child work is common both in the regular part of the

industry and its twilight zone, the report challenges many assumption about child

involvement in the tourist industry, and highlights the problems of inadequate data and the

distoring effects of sensational reporting on the child sex. The study investigated the

condition of child work in clubs, hotels and restaurants. The very characteristics of

employment in this sector: low pay and irregularity of work, as well as the lack of skill

associated with most occupation, favor the employment of underage workers. Many of the

girls usually described as child prostitution in journalistic accounts are actually working in

the twilight zone of the tourist industry.

Freije E Lopez – Calva (2000) concluded that the composition and the kind of household

are important determinants of the child labour and education, family income matters but

labour market condition do not so policy measures aimed at affecting the price of child

labour may be ineffective and child labour is not a transitory condition and therefore it has

a significant impact over the future educational upward mobility of working children. They

used the Mexican and Venezuelan data to examine the factors related to child labour and to

study the association between children activities.

Dhillion (1986) conducted the study of female child labour in two district of Punjab state,

India. The Sample comprised hundred lands less families in Faridkot and one hundred and

twenty lands less families Ludhiana district. Sample started working at the age of 6 – 8

years whereas 53% of children in Ludhiana distract sample started at the age of 9 – 11

years. Female children were working as casual agriculture labourers, domestic servant all

were self employed and contributed rupees eight hundred to sixteen hundered annually.

They were employed on a daily, monthly or early basis paid according to the work done by

them and over fall of them had to work at least 10 hours a day. The reason responsible for

female child labour were weak economic conditions of the family, rising prices of

consumable goods, irregular income of the family, to large family to support and untimely

death of the bread winner.

A survey was conducted in Bangkok National Statistical office (9/1995) the findings of

this survey show that in the developing countries the driving force behind every case of

child labour is of course poverty but basic causes is usually a combination of some of the

factors. These factors are poverty; parents want them to work, better than doing nothing,

least interest in education.

Humberger (1971) conducted that children, who enter the labour force, carry out work that

could very well be done by an adult. Moreover the child does the job for much lower

wages that would have to be paid to an adult. For this reason many employers prefer to

engage children. This is in fact a vicious circle here. On the one hand children labour

increases unemployment and low wages force the adults to put their children to work in

order to boost the family income. The child but as is clear, reduces rather than increases the

income.

Khizra (1990) reported that the curse of child labour is a universal phenomenon. In view of

economic compulsions and demographic characteristics of the developing countries of the

world, total elimination of child labour will neither be possible nor realistic in the near

future for many reasons. The world’s relief agencies also seemed to agree that the abolition

of child labour would be an unrealistic goal. According to them families of most working

children depend upon their labour to stay alive. The phenomenon with all its positive and

negative implication needs to be closely looked in to, from the stand point of its socio-

economic consequences both at micro and macro level.

Patrinos and Psacharopoulos (1995) show that factors thatpredict an increase in child labor

also predict reduced attendance and an increased chance ofgrade repetition; Patrinos and

Psacharopoulos (1997) further show that child work is a significantnegative predictor of

age-grade distortion. A number of papers have used test scores as anoutcome.

These include Akabayashi and Psacharopoulos (1999), who show that children’sreading

competence (as assessed by their parents) decreases with child labor hours, and

Heady(2003), who finds a negative relationship between child labor and objective

measures of readingand mathematics ability in Ghana.A more recent literature tries to

estimate causal effects rather than correlations. Thesepapers use a number of strategies.

Boozer and Suri (2001) use regional variation in rainfall as asource of exogenous variation

in child labor, and find that one hour increases in child laborleads to a 0.38 hour decrease

in contemporaneous schooling.

Cavalieri (2002) uses propensityscore matching and finds that child labor is associated

with a 10 percent reduction in theprobability of being promoted to the next grade.Papers

using an instrumental variables strategy include Ray and Lancaster (2003),Beegle, Dehejia,

and Gatti (2005), and Bezerra, Kassouf, and Arends-Kuenning (2007).1 Each ofthese

papers has strengths and weaknesses. Ray and Lancaster have micro data from

sevencountries, but their instruments (household measures of income and assets, and water,

telephone,and electricity infrastructure) are unlikely to satisfy the exclusion restriction.2

Beegle, Dehejia,and Gatti (2005) use community rice prices and crop shocks as

instruments for child labor inVietnam.3 They estimate that child labor reduces the

probability of being in school by 30 percentand educational attainment by 6 percent, but

are limited to looking at outcomes over a 5-yearhorizon.

Bezerra, Kassouf, and Arends-Kuenning (2007) use city population, state-levelschooling,

and literacy rates to instrument for child labor in Brazil. They find that working sevenhours

or more per day results in a 10 percent decrease in test scores relative to students who

donot work. However, their instruments are likely to be correlated to city and state

unobservables,and are unlikely to satisfy the exclusion restriction.

Graitcer and Lerer (1998) presented a mixed picture of international evidence regarding the

impact of child labor on health, primarily because of data limitations. Data on the extent of

child labor itself is subject to considerable error, but data on the incidence of child injuries

on the job are even more problematic. Sources of information come from government

surveillance, sometimes supplemented by data from worker’s compensation or

occupational health and safety incidence reports. These latter sources are less likely to be

present in the informal labor markets in which child labor is most common, and

government surveillance is often weak. Nevertheless, reported injury rates are not small: of

working children aged 10-14, 9% are estimated to suffer injuries annually, and 3.4% are

estimated to suffer disabling injuries. Information on longer term health consequences of

child labor such as occupational diseases or repetitive motion injuries is even more limited

and subject to errors. In a rare example of longitudinal data applied to the question.

Satyanarayana et al (1986) examined anthropometric data on 410 children over a 17 year

period in a rural area in India. They found that children who worked in agriculture, small-

scale industry and services gained less in height and weight when followed through to

adulthood than those who attended school. They did not consider the issue of nonrandom

selection into work or industry. Two larger-scale studies using different Brazilian data sets

provide some evidence on the negative long term effect of child labor on adult health.

Kassouf et al (2001) found that the probability of self-reported poor health increases as the

age of labor market entry decreases. However, this result should be interpreted with

caution in that child labor and schooling are treated as exogenous and no other control

variables are used.

Giuffrida et al (2005) found that starting to work under age 9 has a negative and significant

effect on adult health. Their estimates control for age, race, education, wealth, housing

conditions, and unemployment status. However, if child labor alters wealth, housing status

or unemployment later in life, some of these controls are jointly determined with child

labor and adult health, again raising concerns about endogenous child labor.

Rosati and Straub (2004) used a sample of Guatemalan siblings that controlled for

unobservable household attributes in assessing the impact of child labor on adult health.

However their strategy still treats child labor and possible resulting decisions regarding

schooling and income as exogenous. In addition, their sample is restricted to adults who

are still living with their parents, and so their sample is heavily weighted toward relatively

young adults. Moreover, if the decision to live with parents is conditioned on health

outcomes, as would be the case if healthy children are more likely to live on their own and

children suffering illness or disability are more likely to remain with their parents, then

their sample will be biased toward finding adults with health problems. Selection might

explain why they find such large adverse health consequences: having worked as a child

increased by 40% the probability of having health problems as an adult. Nevertheless, their

finding of very large health consequences from child labor illustrates the importance of

further examining the link between child labor and adult health.

Finally, Ravallion and Wodon (2000) usebetween-village variation induced by a food-for-

school program in Bangladesh; they find that theprogram led to a significant increase in

schooling, but only one eighth to one quarter of theincrease in schooling hours is explained

by decreased child labor.

CHAPTER -3

A PROFILE OF CHILD LABOUR IN PAKISTAN

3.1 Introduction

Child labor is very serious in challenging issue in the civilized societies around the world.

Unfortunately there are millions of children in Pakistan who have been deprived of these

basically necessary rights. Most Pakistani children work in the agricultural sector large

number of children work in urban centers viewing carpets, producing sports good for

export. The total number of child in Pakistan falling in the age group of 5-14 years was 40

million. The total number of economically active children was found 3.3 million i.e. (83

%) in the country 67 percent (2.7 million) were engaged in agricultural while 11 percent

were in manufacturing. Majority of the child worker i.e. 73 percent were found to be boys

while 27 percent were girl’s majority of the child workers (58.6 % i.e.1.94 million) were

founded in Punjab. The survey also found that children’s involvement in work in the rural

area is about eight times greater than urban areas one third of the working children are

literate boys being more educated than girls and urban children more than the rural

children.

Employments status by broad categories indicators that about 70 percent of the working

children are unpaid family helpers significant urban rural differential are observe in their

employment status in rural area. Three fourth of the working children are working unpaid

family members while in the urban area this ratio in one third. Total children in Punjab

22.63 million and child labor is 1.94 million and sindh total children is 8.62 million and

child labor is .13 million and children in Khyber pakhtunkhwa 6.71 million and child labor

is 1.06 million and Baluchistan total children is 2.07 million and child labor is .01 million

the all children in Pakistan is 40.03 million and total child labor is 3.31 million.

3.2 Causes of child labour

There are many causes which increase child labors in the world especially in the

developing countries some of the major causes which discuss given below.

A) Low level of income:

Many parents send their child to a work by the reason of low level of income. Although

they knowing it is wrong but they have no other alternative as they need the money.

Studies have demonstrated that the most notable reason being low level of income. If the

family live below from the poverty line, parents see children as part of contributor in their

family income.Basu (1998) used the theoretical model of child labour where he showed

the only reason parents send children to labour because of their low income. Consequently

poor parents cannot afford schooling for their children.

B) Large family size:

Another cause is large family size. Indeed, large poor households have more children

involved in child labour than children from smaller households, which demonstrates family

size have an effect child labour. Parents oblige their children to work because they are not

able to manage the demand of a large size family. People have not provided basic needs to

their children. So as result send their children in work in early stage.

D) Over population:

Most of the Asian and African countries are over populated .so due to limited resources

and shortage of necessary food children are employed in various form of work. So by the

reason of overpopulation the child has done a work to fulfill their necessary needs and

other activities.

G) Illiteracy:

One of the important causes of child labor is illiteracy of parents and not understands the

important of education. And they prefer them to work is compare to educate them.

The connection between tackling child labour and promoting Education for All has been in

creasingly recognized. On the one hand, education and in particular free and compulsory e

ducation of good quality up to the minimum age of employment, is a key element in preve

nting child labour. On the other hand, child labour is one of the main obstacles to full time 

school attendance and in the case of part‐time work, can prevent children from fully benefi

ting of their time at school.

H) Death or serious illness of family head:

A growing number of children who have either lost one or both the parents and those

impacted by HIV/ADIS in the family, are forced to work in order to support themselves

and their sibiling.The number of orphan children are increasing particularly in sub Saharan

Africa, many whom become street children, and live in very different circumstances.

Sometimes due to death or serious illness of the working head of the family, children are

forced to work to support their family.

3.3 Types of child labour

Child labour is a problem that has been occurring throughout the world for a long time

since even before written history; in fact, child labour is not necessarily a bad thing, if it

allows the child to spend adequate time in educating him or herself. There are many forms

of child labour. Some of them are discussed below.

A) Domestic and Non-domestic

Child labour can assume many forms. It can be in the forms of children working with

parents and other family members, or children working in the rural areas for the benefits of

their families. These two types of child labour are described as ‘domestic work’ and ‘non

domestic work’ respectively.

B) Bonded Child Labour

In feudal and semi-feudal societies bonded child labour is one of the numerous forms of

human bondage that continue to exit in the agriculture society and is brick kilns. This form

is also known as pledging of children as workers in parts payments of debts. The young

victim of this system is bounded to the land lords and brick kiln owners by their families to

pay off a debt their parents had incurred. The child so bounded usually remains bounded

for a long period, it becomes impossible to repay the loan due to invariably high interest

rates, stringent repayments, terms and low cost of labour.

C) Contract Labour

This is yet another type of child bounded labour prevalent in rural areas. In this type of

child labour, a child is sold in advance to labour contractors. Such labour may include

construction work and carpet weaving.

D) Wages Employment

The other major forms of child labour involve working outside the family with third

parties. Child labors falling under this group usually work for wages.

E) Family Labour Group

This comprises children working as a part of family labour group in agriculture. It is a

common practice in developing countries for the land lords to hire a family work group;

children of brick kiln workers may also fall under this category. In this type of work,

children work as an integral part of their family group. Parents in such circumstances can

look after their children’s welfare; and this form of child labour is thus usually free from

extreme forms of exploitation to which children may be subjected to while working

individually or for third party. However in such cases, the family may be depriving the

child of the opportunity for education and training.

3.4 Consequences:

Immature and inexperienced child labour may be completely unaware of the short and long

term risk which involved in their work. The following are the main consequences of child

labour.

Physical injuries by the reason of full time job and high weight.

Growth deficiency it means that the child labour is lighter and shorter than other children.

Another main consequence is long term health problem by the reason of work in dangerous

chemicals.

Wasting of talents and skills of child labour by the reason of early work.

Increasing illiteracy in future generation of child labour.

Inability to contribute in development of economy and country.

Children who produce glass bangles are exposed to high temperature and suffer from

severe joint pain and longs problems.

Children working in agriculture may use dangerous tools; carry heavy loads, and apply

harmful pesticides.

CHAPTER -4

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter defines the methodology used for the data collection and analysis. The main

purpose of the research is factors leading to child labour.

4.1 UNIVERSE OF THE STUDY

The study was conducted in district Mardan (Tehsil Takht bhai). It is one of the major

urban center in the district. It has large number of hotels, auto welding workshop, tailoring

shops, transport etc. All these opportunities attract these children from poor families, either

living in the city or adjacent villages, to come and earn for their families. This has made

Takht bhai Bazar as the main center of child labour.

4.2 SAMPLE SIZE

The children working in auto and welding workshop, hotels, tailoring shops, transport

sector and had the age 6-14 years were respondents of the study. Before the collection of

the data, a preliminary visit of the bazaar was made to locate the places and prepare the list

of those children who were involved in child labour. Systematic sampling method was

used for sample selection and 50 respondents were selected from total children. For further

detail see table:

Sampling Distribution

Table No: 4.1

Children occupation Sample Population

Auto/ Welding work shop 14

Tailoring Shop 12

Hotels 12

Transport Sector 12

Total 50

Source Field: Survey

4.3 DATA COLLECTION:

Auto/ Welding Work shop is an emergent business because the number of auto work shop

is increasing day by day and every workshop has hired 2 or 3 children. In order to gather

data, a meeting schedule was used. It had already been established in English language for

the academic purposes but exercised in Urdu and Pashto. The investigator himself

conducted the interview and each respondent was interviewed on single basis.

4.4 DATA ANALYSIS:

After the data gathering, essential changes were made. Then collected data was implanted

to computer. The explanation was made through simple percentages.

4.5 PERSENTAGE:

For the simple analysis of data, percentage test was applied as a statistical technique. The

formula for calculating the percentage is as under:

P = F/N × 100

Where

F = Frequency of desired class.

N= Total no of frequencies.

P= Percentage.

CHAPTER -5

DATA ANALYSIS

5.1 INTRODUCTION:

In this chapter we analyze the factors leading to child labour. The data were collected

through interviewing schedule concerning different aspects of child labour by direct

concentrating child labour in Takht bhai bazaar. The size of the sample was 40.

Table-5.1 Sample distribution with regard to sex

Sex No. of Respondent % age

Male 46 92

Female 04 08

Total 50 100 Source: Field Survey

The table 5.1 shows that the selected sample from the target area which shows that 92%

working children are male. It makes 36 respondents out of 50 which is our selected sample

from the population. While 8% working children are female this makes 04 respondents out

of 50.

Table-5.2 Sample Distribution by Age Group

Age group No. of Respondents % age

6-8 08 16

9-11 16 32

12-14 26 52

Total 50 100

Source: Field Survey

Table No.5.2 shows that in the project area 16% of working children belongs to age group

6-8 years, 32% of working children belongs to age group 9-11 years and 52% of working

children belong to age group 12-14 years.

Table –5.3 Classification of the sample respondent with regards to force to do work.

Who compelled you to

do work

No of respondent %age

Self 16 32

Parents 28 56

Others 06 12

Total 50 100

Source: Field survey

Table no 5.3 shows that the 32% child is personal interest in work and 56% child forced by

parents for working in early stage. 12% child forced to do work by other reasons in early

stage (i.e. father death, low level of income etc).

Table – 5.4 Classification of the sample respondents with regards to literacy rate

Literacy rate No of respondent %age

Literate 21 42

Illiterate 29 58

Total 50 100

Source: Field Survey

The above table no 5.4 we find that in the whole project area 42% of working children are

literate and 58% of working children are illiterate.

Table-5.5 Classification of the sample respondent with regards to level of education

Level of education No of respondent %age

Primary 13 26

Middle 07 14

Metric 03 06

Illiterate 27 54

Total 50 100

Source: Field survey

Table no 5.5 those who were literate among them 26% of working children complete their

primary education. 14% of working children studied up to middle, 06% of working

children studied up to matric and the remaining 54% were illiterate.

Table 5.6 Classification of sample by the reasons for not going to school

Reasons for not going

to school

No of respondent %age

Low level of income 32 64

Parents were not interest

14 28

School for away from home

03 06

Any others O1 02

Total 50 100

Source: Field survey

The table no 5.6 show that 64% child is not going to school for a reason of low level of

income and 28% Childs parents not interest for going to school. 6% child school for away

from home and 2% child not going for other reason to school (i.e.no personal interest etc).

Table- 5.7 Classification of sample according to total member of family

Total member in family

No. of Respondents % age

1-6 08 16

6-9 23 46

9-12 15 30

Above 04 08

To Total 50 100 Source: Field survey

Table No 5.7 shows that in the project area majority i.e. 46% of working children family

consists of 6 – 9 members, 30% families have 9 – 12 members. While 16% families have 1

– 6 members, only 8% families have more than 12 members.

Table –5.8 Classification of sample regarding ownership of house

Property of house No. of Respondents % age

Own 11 22

Rented 39 78

Total 50 100Source: Field survey

Table No 5.8 shows that in the project area only 22% of working children lived in their

own houses. While the rest of 78% of working children lived in rented houses.

Table – 5.9 Classification of sample according to persons depends on family

No. of dependents

No. of Respondents % age

1 – 5 10 20

5 – 9 24 48

9 – 12 12 24

Above 04 08

Total 50 100 Source: Field survey

Table No 5.9 shows that in project area 48% of working children having 5 – 9 dependents

members in their family 20% of working children have 1 – 5 dependents members. While

24%of working children have 9 – 12 dependents members in their family and only 8%

members have more than 12 dependent members.

Table – 5.10 Classification of sample regarding their daily wage

Daily income earned No. of Respondents % age

01 – 50 15 30

50 –90 19 38

90 – 120 13 26

Above 03 06

Total 40 100

Source: Field Survey

Table No 5.10 shows that in the project area 30% of working children earn their income

from Rs. 1 – 50. 38% of working children earn their income from Rs. 50 – 90. 26% of

working children earn their income from Rs. 90 – 120.While 6% of working children earn

above Rs. 120

Table – 5.11 Classification of sample by cause of working

Causes of working No. of Respondents % age

Poverty 34 68

Death of father 07 14

Any other 09 18

Total 50 100Source: Field Survey

The table 5.11 shows that majority of the working children i.e. 68.5% works because of

poverty, 14% children works because their father was dead, while 18% children work

because of some other reasons.

Table –5.12 Classification of samples regarding their income spending

Spending income No. of Respondents % age

Home 41 82

Self 09 18

Total 50 100Source: Field Survey

Table No 5.12 shows that in project area 82% children spend their income in their home

and 18% of working children spend their income in their game, smoking, watching

movies, and dressing, fulfill their wishes etc.

Table –5.13 if you stop working still your family passes a normal life.

Family pass a normal life No. of respondent %age

Yes 19 38

No 31 62

Total 50 100

Source: Field survey

Table No 5.13 shows that 62% of working children finance their house and their families

could not pass normal life without their income. While 38% of working children’s families

can pass normal life if they could not finance them.

Table –5.14 If free education is provided to you still you work

Children work if free education is provided No. of Respondents % age

Yes 30 60

No 20 40

Total 50 100 Source: Field Survey

Table 5.14 shows that 60% of working children in project area if free education is provided

to them they still work, while 40% children stop working if free education is provided to

them.

Table-5.15 Do you like enjoy your work

You like your work No. of respondent %age

Yes 08 16

No 42 84

Total 50 100

Source: Field survey

Table no 5.15 show that 84% child is not happy in his work and only 16% child is happy in

his work.

CHAPTER – 6

FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

6.1 FINDINGS

Child labour is a global phenomenon. The term child labour refers to the child in the age

group 4 – 14 years who is put to labour for economic gain, thereby depriving him from his

basic rights of education, health and other facilities. Unfortunately, a large number of

children all over the world especially in developing countries are deprived of education

and other basic facilities of life because socio-economic pressure force these children to

push for labour rather than going to school and thereby compelling them to face the harsh

realities of life for monetary gains before maturity. The developing countries have been

facing the crises of child labour due to poor economic and social condition. The present

study was conducted in Takht Bhai Bazar. The study is based on a sample of 50 working

children. The data for the present study were collected through interview schedule with the

help of pre-testing for the purpose.In present study we find out those factors which make

children to work at small age.

6 .1.2 TESTING OF HYPOTHESIS

Now we test the hypothesis, which are given in chapter-1 on the basis of the data, which

we collect from project area. And on the basis of this we make our conclusion.

A) Hypothesis # 0 1

LOW LEVEL OF INCOME IS THE MAIN CAUSE OF CHILD LABOUR

Finding table No 5.8:

The finding show that in project area 22% of working children have their own house to

live but the rest of 78% of working children live in rented houses.

Finding table No 5.11

This table proved that poverty leads to child labour because in project area 68% children

work because of poverty. 14% works because of father death while rest of 18% work

because of any other reason.

Findings table No 5.12

More than 82%of working children spent their income in homes because of poverty, while

18% spend their income on themselves.

Finding table No 5.13

If children stop works 62% working children family could not survive and because of

poverty while 38% of children’s family are able to survive.

Finding table No 5.14:

From this table we find that 60% children still work if free education is provided this is

because of poverty while 40% stop works.

On the basis of above findings it is proved that most of children work because of poverty.

A) Hypothesis # 02

CHILD LABOUR HAS A RULE IN FAMILY INCOME.

Finding table No 5.12

In the table no 5.12 shows that 82% children spend their income in his home and 18%

children spend their income in game, smoking, watching move, dressing and fulfill their

wishes etc.

Finding table No 5.13

Table no 5.13 shows that 62% of working children finance their house and their families

could not pass normal life without their income. While 38% of working children’s families

can pass normal life if they could not finance them.

6.2 CONCLUSIONS

Child labour is off course rooted in poverty. The reasons for child labour are manifold

while crippling poverty and illiteracy top the list. Parents of these children are so abjectly

poor that they sell their children for a paltry amount. Children earning some money have

entire households dependent on them. Other reasons which force the children to work are

weak performance of schools, quality of education, illiteracy status of parents and large

family size. The illiterate parents are convinced that more children mean more working

hands. The population then exerts an unbearable pressure on child labour.

6.3 RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The socio-economic and demographic features of developing countries including

Pakistan’s are such that a complete elimination of child labour is perhaps not be possible in

the near future. However, certain steps should invariably be taken by the government to

minimize children exploitation and prohibition of child labour through enforcement of

some strict laws will not achieve any results since poor families will continue sending their

children to work illegally.

2. The socio-economic disparity in the society resulting from uneven and unjust function

of the economy should be stopped and the national income should be distributed more in

favor of the poor masses. So that their economic burden may be reduced.

3. Government should make special provision in laws to safeguard condition in which

child workers have to work. Special emphasis will be given to minimum wage level,

working hours, sickness, employment injury, insurance and special benefits.

4. Information campaign should be organized everywhere to make people more aware of

the harmful effects of child labour.

5. Political parties should include implementation of child labour laws in their manifesto.

6. Government should launch periodic publicity campaign using posters, leaflets

enlisting the help of mass media.

7. Labour law concerning child labour should be enforced forcefully.

8. Employment law concerning such as handicraft, carpets, small scale industries and

other income generating activities should be provided to the families to enable them to live

a modest living without resorting to child labour.

9. The community must also be made aware of the effects of child labour, its hazard,

poor working condition and injustice to children.

10. Education should be made compulsory and free for all at least to metric level and

curriculum should be made according to their needs.

11. Labour union can also be involved in fight against child labour.

12. Non-governmental organization (NGOs) should emphasize the working condition of

child workers. They should start awareness campaign through mass media and demand

employment of adults, to replace child labour.

13. They should encourage boycott of goods produced by children and generate awareness

about legal aspects of child labour among the employers.

14. The deep-rooted research should be conducted by research organizations to find out

the causes responsible for the prevalence of the child labour in different sector and along

with them the consequences of it on child workers as well as on the society as a whole. The

findings of such studies would help in the abolition of child labour.

15. The political parties should include the elimination of child labour in their manifestos.

16. The number of schools especially vocational training centers for technical training and

evening and nights schools should be increased and more recreation and attraction should

be provided to children in schools in the country.

17. Employers employing children must be discouraged and needs to be punished.

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