Research on Child Labor

I found the research article on child labor to be interesting reading. This article was shaped by theories on human rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which focused on respecting children as participants with human rights throughout the research process. The research question focused on the following: Were children who work social actors or vulnerable dependents?

In the 1900s, child labor become a worldwide issue of concern especially in the United States and some European countries. As this concern grew, trade unions lobbied for child labor to be eliminated and were in support of trade sanctions and consumer boycotts to achieve it. Those advocating for children wanted all forms of child labor abolished stating that children were vulnerable and in a time of dependence, learning, and development. Other non-government organizations argued that these efforts to eliminate child labor could harm family and social responsibilities. By the mid-1990s, the battle was on between those advocating the abolishment of child labor and those advocating children's right to work.

At this time, research increased dramatically and was influenced by children's human rights principles; a new increasingly influential methodology was child-centered research. This research wanted to get the children's genuine views and experiences without the influences of others. It began to look at children as social actors instead of vulnerable dependents.

Children's Experiences of Work-Labor and Life in Jakarta

This research was conducted with children in Jakarta, Indonesia between 1994-1999. The study findings suggested that the agencies working to abolish child labor failed to recognize the importance of or benefits of their work. On the other hand, those advocating the right to work failed to acknowledge the factors that influence the choices that children make.

121 children participated in the research and were between the ages of 10 and 16. They worked in three broad categories: girls working in manufacturing factories, boys working in street vending and services, or girls and boys working in informal sector activities. The studies were based on a series of open-ended discussions with small groups of children. Discussions included question surrounding the type of work, why they work, likes/dislikes about work, and likes/dislikes about school.

The studies concluded that for most children the decision to work was the result of a set of pressures (including economic pressures) or opportunities in their lives or their families. However, children rarely saw themselves as victims. Many children explained their work as a means that helped their families and fulfilled family responsibilities. Younger children worked within family groups while those that were older often worked outside the family. The girls shared that choices of their lives was a benefit of working. Many of the girls lived independently in factor dormitories or nearby communities. The girls provided a portion of the wages to family but kept some money for necessities and entertainment purposes. Additional findings that are important to highlight are that the work of the children in these studies presented significant risks to their health and development. None of them were participating in work that would be described as beneficial or positive. Also, the children in the study did not experienced forced child labor or child slavery. The research findings in the 1990s called into question the merits of a single policy approach to child labor including the minimum age legislation in the early 2000s.

Reference:
Bessell, Sharon. 2011. Influencing international child labour policy: The potential and limits of children-centred research. Children & youth services review. Apr2011, Vol. 33 Issue 4, p564-568, 5p. Retrieved from Walden Library Academic Search Complete database.