Report of rima 2007

Child Labour in Bangladesh

Chapter One: Introduction 1.1 Introduction

Bangladesh is one of the third world countries, where child labor is increasing seriously and has been gradually recognized as a multidimensional social problem. We know that, todays; children are the tomorrow’s future citizens of a country. So it is important to build them properly to lead the country of tomorrow. In reality we see that instead of going to school a large number of children are selling their labor only to buy their food. In a recent statistics we see that about 250 million children are working. Now it has emerged as a widespread and serious problem in Bangladesh.

In this report I have tried to discuss about this child labor problem and its effect, that is a great problem in Bangladesh.

1.2 Background of the Study: Bangladesh is situated in the north eastern part of south- Asia and bounded by India, Myanmar and the Bay of Bengal.

Its population growth rate is 1.5 percent per annum and children under 15 years comprise nearly 39.3 percent of the total population, which is national child labor survey in 2002-03.

From ancient time till today, child labor has been seen as a serious concern for human society as well as our country. The term ‘child labor’ can be coined with “working child” in the age group 5- 14 years.

Child labor is a great problem of poor developing country which is consistently facing challenges against poverty, high population growth, rising unemployment, natural disasters and so on.

According to ILO estimates, there are 211 million children aged 5 to 14 engaged in economical activity across the world in 2000`1. About 73 million working children are less than 10 years old and total number of economically active child population 5 to 17 years of age was estimated at 352 million in 2000`2. Bangladesh has ratified the ILO convention (no.182) on “the worst forms at child labor” adopted in 1999 and the UN convention on the Rights of the Child (1989).

1.3 Aim and Objectives: Every works have some distinctive aim and objectives. The main aims and objectives of this report are listed below1. Size and composition of working children as well as child labor in Bangladesh (urban,

rural).

2. To know the socio-economic background of child labor in Bangladesh.

3. This report aimed was estimates if economically active children aged 5- 17 years and

child labor at national, urban and rural levels as well as of children engaged in non economic activities.

1.4 Scope of the Research: This research is secondary data base. So its discussion is limited within a particular cordon.

The scope of this research is spreader through the discussion on the •

Characteristics of child labor and working child labor and their socio-economic condition also discussed on the basis of their age and gender group.

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•

Child labor causes, classification, laws, and effect are discussed.

•

Last of all in this report I have tried to list about some organizations.

1.5 Literature review The subject of my report that is ‘child labor in Bangladesh’ is topic of ‘Population geography’. Before this many works on different topics of population geography are completed, that are listed below-

1. Ahmed,P.Islam,M.and

Jahan

R.

(Eds.),

Disadvantages

Children

in

Bangladesh::Some reflections. Women pp.115-116, 1981.

2. Taher, M.A. Child labor In Bangladesh: A Critical Review. Social Review Volume 9,

December 1992, No:2, p.122.

3. UNICEF, The state of the world’s children, 2006, Oxford university press.

4. Firdous Zareen, Kh. Saima Afrin, child labor in Bangladesh: A critical

Analysis::Empowerment, 1998, Volume5, p.23-44.

1.6 Methodology: Necessary data for this research are collected from different secondary data. To prepare this study some rules and techniques are followed. After collecting data on child labor of different categories such as economically active child labor, working child labor, hazardous child labor are classified based on gender and aged grouped. Data are shown in diagram and charts.

The total arrangements of this report depend on data sources and methods. All the report is discussed in this way: •

Secondary dataAll data of this study are secondary data and are collected from secondary sources, such as publications, report, different organizations, newspapers, thesis etc.

1.6.1 Source of data The sources of child labor data of this study are given below: • •

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

UNICEF.

• • • •

Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum.

Bangladesh population census, 2001.

Bangladesh Statistical year book, 2006.

Internet.

1.6.2- Methods Both qualititative and quantitative techniques can be used in any report. Combination of qualitative and quantitative methods helps to prepare this report. The research follow will formulate some data into graphic, table and figures to support the analysis. Data will be categorized into different components and analysis will be out step- by step after each data collection.

1.7 Organization of the study:

Organization of the study is the summarized picture of this report of child labor. In this report I have tried to discuss about the child labor and their socio- economic condition of Bangladesh.

First chapter is the introductory section. In this section, preparation for report, methodology, aim and objective, background of study, scope of the study is discussed. That is, the arrangement of the report is mentioned in introduction chapter.

The second chapter is based on the characteristics of child labor. In this section, I have tried to discuss about what is child labor, classification, causes and effects of child labor, etc.

Third chapter discussed about the children’s rights and laws. In this section, to eliminate child labor which measures are taken, NGOs initiative etc. are discussed. Along with this, children rights in the constitution of Bangladesh are also highlighted.

Fourth chapter discuss about the Memorandum of Understanding which was signed in July 1995 by BGMEA and ILO and UNICEF. It also discusses the root causes of child labor such as poverty, economic exploitation, social values and culture circumstances. And suggest some comprehensive solutions.

Fifth chapter shows some data and charts related to child labor.

Sixth chapter is the conclusion part. In this section, the findings or results of the report are said. An overall comment is given on whole report. This chapter is the finishing of the research.

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Chapter Two: Child Labor in Bangladesh 2.1 What is child?

The definition of child is totally different in the contest of Bangladesh. The Bangle language does not even have a direct equivalent of the English word’ child’, it’s translate word is ‘shishu’.

A child is defined as an individual under the age if 18 years based on the 1989 UN convention on the Rights of the child and the ILO convention on the worst forms of child labor 1999(No: 182) . Since it is commonly accepted that a child under five years at age is too young to be engaged in work or to start schooling, it considers only the child population aged 5-17.

2.1.1 Child age group: Child age group has broken down in two different ways. For the estimates on economic activity the commonly used age brackets – 5-9, 10-14, and 15-17 are applied.

For presentation of data on child labor and hazardous child workers the first two brackets were regrouped into 5-11 and 12-14, based on the logic of ILO convention No.138.

2.2 The concept of Child Labor: Child labor as referred to in the NCLS (National Child Labor Survey) consists of all children under 18 years of age who are economically active except, i) those who are under 5 years old, ii) those between 12-14 years old who appeared less than 14 hours a week on their jobs unless their activities or occupations are hazardous by nature or circumstance.

For the purpose of estimation based on ILO basic minimum age conventions No. 138 and 182, child labor is defined as followsAges 5-11= all children at work in economically activity.

Plus ages12-14= all children at work in economical activities minus those in light work.

Plus ages 15-17= all children in hazardous work and other worst forms of child labor.

1) The term child labor is synonymous to ‘working child’ in the age group of 5 to 14 years.

Homer Folks, the chairman of the United States National Child Labor Committee has defined child labor as “… any work done by children that interferes with their full physical development, their opportunities for a desirable minimum of education or their needed recreation”

2) Child labor means using children’s labor time in directly productive (income generating, as well as indirectly productive household maintenance) activities (Salahuddin, 1981). So the term child labor means the employment of children directly and indirectly in gainful occupations that are harmful to their physical and mental health.

2.2.1 The Working Child UNICEF was established on the 11th December 1946 to aid the children. All over the world UNICEF is advocated to help the distressed children and it has conducted a survey in working children in developing countries. It revealed that of the projected 190 million children in the 10-14 age group in the developing world, three quarters of them work 6 days a week or more and one half work 9 hours a day or more.( UNICEF,1997).

2.2.2 Indicators of ExploitationA decade ago, UNICEF determined that child labor is exploitative if it involves: - Full time work at too early age.

- Too many hours spent working.

- Work that exerts undue physical, social or psychological stress.

- Work and life on the streets in bad condition – inadequate pay.

- Too much responsibility.

- Work that hampers access to education.

- Work that undermines children’s dignity and self esteem, such as slavery or bonded labor and sexual exploitation.

- Work that is detrimental to full social and psychological development.

2.2.3 Basic minimum Age Below the table shows the ILO Basic Minimum Age Convention No.138 Table: 2.2.3 Minimum Ages in Accordance with Convention No.138General minimum age (article 2) In normal circumstances 15 6

light work (article7) 13 years

hazardous work (article3) 18 years(16 years conditionally)

Years or more(not less than

compulsory school age)

where economy and education

12 years

18 years(16 years conditionally )

all facilities are insufficiently Developed: 14 years.

2.3 Child labor and Child Work There are some works which have to do by all children. This is not harmful to him, rather helpful to him and his family to live better. But there are some works which is harmful to a child. According to UNICEF this kind of work is child labour.

The employment of children directly and indirectly in gainful occupations that are harmful to their physical and mental health, can be determined as child labour.

Any kind of work which is helpful to a child for his physical, mental, and moral development can be determined as child work 2.4 Categories and Classification of Child Labour 2.4.1 Classification of Child labour: Bangladesh perspective In Bangladesh a large number of children are employed in organized and non-organized field. In this country child labour may be classified according to broad areas: a) Rural areas and b) Urban areas. a) Child Labor in Rural areas: A large number of children work in rural areas as helping hands of house hold work and also perform agricultural work, poultry, fishery, work in various cottage industry etc. Rural children begin to perform their work at a very early age. Cain’s study identified this age to be between 5 and 6 years.

Rural children of both sexes work long hours at early ages. Children between the ages 4 and 6 years work about two hours per day in which the amount of time devoted to house work performed by female children is around one hour.

On the other hand, the time input of the boys (among 4 to 6 years) in the directly productive work amounts to a little over one hour. Children aged 7 to 9 years spend about 4 to 5 hours in productive work per day. At 13 years of age and above, they work as long as the adult workers, 9 hours per day on an average.

b) Child Labor in Urban areas: In urban areas a number of children both male and female are engaged in various works.

Female children are mainly involved in house hold work and in garment factories. Male children work as-carriers of lunch packets to offices, porters, bus conductors, car cleaners, hotel boys, rickshaw pullers, shoe shining boys and also engaged in domestic works.

Besides this a large number of male and female children earn their livelihood by begging.

Their age ranges roughly from 4 to 14 years.

2.4.2 Categories of Child Labor in Bangladesh The fields in the children are employed are numerous, these fields and the of the child labor involved are discussed below: A] FarmingBangladesh is an agro-based society and most of its population lives in the country side. A poor farmer living in village needs the help of his children in various forms in his works.

Those who do not have their own land, engage their children in the farming of others in some nature of jobs.

B] Garment Manufacturing IndustriesThe garment manufacturing industries are recently playing an important role for the economical development of the country. And a large number of children are engaged in this sector. According to available data more than fifty thousand’ children are engaged in this production process having low wages and deprived of various necessary facilities.

In 1995 an agreement was signed between Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers Association (BGMEA) and International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF on elimination of child labour from all garment industries.

C] Domestic serviceChild labour in domestic service is a very common phenomenon. Children in domestic service may be the most vulnerable and exploitative children of all, as well as the most difficult to protect. They are deprived of schooling, play and social activity and of emotional support from family and friends. They are even vulnerable to physical and sexual abuse.

D] Small shops, business or restaurantIn many of the small shops, small business, restaurants etc. children are found working. A good number of child workers may be found in doing shoe shine or as hawker or as porters.

Generally male children are found in these works everywhere in Bangladesh.

E] Transport8

Both in urban and rural areas male children are found in buses and tempoos as helpers to the drivers. Apart from those, many children themselves carry passengers in rickshaws and small country boats.

F] industriesBoth male and female children are found working in various types of industry in rural and urban areas. They are found in doing work as metal works, wood works, leather works, carpentry, pottery, carpet weaving, cigarette making, welding, biri and shoe making, book binding, match producing, operating cottage industries machine, ironing and so on.

G] ProstitutionSome female children are found as prostitutes in brothels. Sometimes those girls are kidnapped for this purpose and sometimes the women who are prostitute want her daughter to take her profession.

H] Street workA large number of children work on the streets of Bangladesh. They are engaged in physical labour such as hawking in markets selling their products at street and railway station, bus station in cities and towns or hunt fir waste paper, search food and so on. Their concentration is most visible in the slums and streets of Dhaka city. One report estimates the number of children in Dhaka city to be more than 2.5 million (situation of street children- A report by Rahman, BIDS).

I] Girls workMost of the hazards faced by boy labors are faced by girls labors too. Girls have extra problems of their own: from the sexual pressure of employers to exclusion from education.

Sometimes the family keeps the girls busy throughout the day in household work. On the other hand the girl who works all day long also does household work after their returning home. In a study, sponsored by ILO, Dhaka by Ms. Tanzina Haque, it was observed that girl child labors are more distressed than boys which is specifically mentioned in the following Table:

Table: 2.5.2 Girl child labors are more distressed Boys Girls Usually do not take care of Almost always take care of younger children. Younger children.

Recognized for economic activity.

Usually unrecognized for economic activity.

Thought fit for economic activity.

Thought unfit for economic activity.

Get better wages.

Get marginal wages.

Not involved in domestic work.

Largely involved in domestic work.

Less involved in sex trade.

More involved in sex trade.

Less distressed.

Precariously distressed.

Source: Haque, Tanzina:some aspects of child labor in Bangladesh, ILO Dhaka, Nov.1993, p.7.

J] Work for the familyOf all the work children do, the most common is agricultural or domestic work within their own families. Most families around the world except children to help in the house hold, whether preparing food, fetching water or groceries, herding animals, caring for younger siblings or more orders work in the field.

The following provides a figure of child labour in Bangladesh, taken from a report of a work shop on “Child labour and street children” jointly organized by UNICEF and ILO/IPEC. • • • •

1.8 million Street children aged 5-15 years constitute 64% of the total poor in urban areas (1990).

93% of working children live with their families. 20% of which are woman-headed households.

12% of families of working children are totally dependent on children since their parents do not work.

17% of working children have migrated to Dhaka because of natural calamities and rural economic depravity.

2.5 Child Labor in Hazardous Work In most cases the jobs as well as the environment in which children have to work whole day are very much unhygienic. The Table shows the summarizing of the children’s hazardous occupations and their consequences:

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Table: 2.6 children’s hazardous occupations and its consequences: occupation a) Agriculture

Task Working machinery Agrochemical.

Hazards

Consequences

Unsafe machinery; Accidents; chemical hazardous substances poisoning; offen undiagnosed and attributed to non occupational causes.

b)carpet weaving Producing carpets

Inhalation of wool dust; Respiratory and poor lighting, ventilation, muscular-skeletal hazardous chemicals. diseases; eye strain, chemical poison.

c) construction Digging earth, work carrying loads, shoveling send and cement, metal work.

Struck by falling objects, falling from heights, exposure to heat, dust, and noise.

d) Domestic All types of Long hours of work, servant domestic work abuse of health and, moral standards, isolation from society. e) Deep fishing

sea Diving to depths of river bed, up to 60m to attach nets to coral reefs

Exposure to high Decompression illness, atmosphere pressure, death or injury, gastro danger from carnivorous intestinal diseases , and poisonous fish.

f) glass factory Drawing molten Radiant heat and Eye cataract, heat stress, work glass handling thermal stress, infection, respiratory diseases, hot injury. burns. g) Matches and Mixing Exposure to hazardous Synergistic effects of fire works chemicals, chemicals, fire. chemicals intoxication’s. making match sticks and boxes. h) Scavenging Demeaning; and rag picking unsanitary work

Exposure to hazardous Cuts resulting in death substances, infestation from tetanus, chemical by flies. poisoning, food

poisoning. i) Street traders

Hawking goods, Exposure to drugs, Drug addiction, social selling, crimes, danger to health outcast, sexually prostitution and moral standard. transmitted diseases.

Source: ILO/IPEC. Action for the elimination of child labour, over view of problem and response ILO/Geneva, 1994.

2.6 Causes of Child Labor In the context of socio-economic situation in Bangladesh the growth of child labour at an increasing rate can be attributed to various factors. The important ones are the following: A] PovertyPoverty is one of the vital reasons that drive children into work under various hazardous conditions. Parents never want their children should work but their poverty compels their children to work as labour. In Bangladesh it is one of the major reasons of child labour.

B] Lack of sufficient educational facilityThere are lacks of sufficient educational facilities for the children in Bangladesh that leads them to work.

C] Traditional expectationIn our country a large number of family’s tradition pushes their children into work. The parents thinks that as they themselves have worked from very early age, so their children should also do that.

D] Social awarenessLack of social awareness is another contributing factor. For example, the parents having a small cottage industry or business sometimes prefer their children working with them rather than sending them to school.

E] Social injustice and criminal activitiesAmong various criminal activities one of the prominent one is involving female children in prostitution. Many of the female children work as prostitute and are reported as having been kidnapped and sent to brothels. Once they are in a brothel, the society does not accept them as human beings and this social injustice is an important factor for child labour.

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F] migrationWhen families in rural areas migrate in cities their children are sometimes forced to work for their families’ survival.

G] Family disruptionA number of children leave home for family disruptions. In a recent survey, it was seen that a number of children left home because of being tortured or abused by step mothers or others relatives.

H] Other causesIn addition to the causes mentioned above, there are also other significant reasons for child labour, such as natural calamities, illiteracy, ignorance, low wages, and insufficient protective labour legislation to cover the agriculture and small scale industries and inadequate and ineffective inspecting machinery provided by the Government to check up child labour.

2.7 Effects of Child Labour The perpetuation of child labour has far-reaching consequences. It has its evil effects on the physical and mental development of a child as well as on the progress of the whole society.

Effects of physical development – Most of the jobs that the children are required to perform are harmful for their physical development. These growing children suffer from ill effects of over exertion, lack of hygiene and other problems arising due to hard working in unfavorable and unhealthy surroundings, causes bronchitis, tuberculosis, and forms of skin diseases. Most of the conditions and atmosphere in which the jobs are performed are not congenial rather harmful for the children and its ill effects are likely to reach out into their future lives.

Effects on social advancementWhen a child performs precarious, stultifying, insignificant jobs from an early age, he or she gets a very little chance to acquire skills for better jobs. This together with a child’s natural disinclination to learn put an end to his or her chances of better employment, higher pay and social advancement in future.

Effects on mental health-

It has been observed that hard labour at an early age may cause undesirable mental change which may lead to behavior problems. The tremendous pressure put on them at an early age to abandon childhood and shoulder the responsibilities of an adult creates an unnatural situation for the child which impoverishes his/her mental world. As a result the child’s creativity blunted and the door for a bright future for the child is closed for ever.

Effects on socio-economic developmentIt is a fact that the population growth rates are relatively higher in the rural poor areas. It may seem paradoxical that children are welcome in poor families. It is logical that so long as children will be considered as economic assets in the majority of the house holds in Bangladesh, no plan designed to control the population growth rate can make any appreciable impact on the existing state of affairs.

Chapter Three- Children’s Right and Lows Introduction Children are all around us. They represent about a quarter of the world’s population. The right of children has become a matter of great importance in today’s world. In this regard, on 20th November, 1989 the General Assembly of the United Nations unanimously adopted the Convention of Child Rights (CRC).

Though Bangladesh is one of the State parties of the convention in recent years we find more and more news about child abuse and exploitation in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh children’s rights have been preserved through the constitution and laws. Now we will see what the Constitution and laws say about child rights.

3.1 Children’s Rights in the Constitution of Bangladesh-

The constitution of Bangladesh is the supreme law of the country and it consists two special articles on the rights of the children, these are: Article: 17 It guarantees that State shall adopt effective measure for the purpose of establishing a uniform, mass oriented and universal system of education and extending free and compulsory education to all children to such stage as may be determined by law.

Article: 28

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It provides that State shall not be prevented from making, special provision in favour of children. Forced labour is also prohibited under article 34 of the constitution.

3.2 Legislative measures related to children’s rights in Bangladesh-

In Bangladesh, laws related to children’s rights and protections are: a) The children (Pledging of labour) Act, 1933

Section 3 and 4 prohibit the pledging of labour of children (under 15) and make pledging of such labour and engaging such children punishable. b) Mines and minerals Act, 1923 Child labour primarily clusters in export industries.

Child labour will never be eliminated until poverty disappears.

Child labour is uniquely a problem of the developing world Child labor is a great obstacle for the development of country. For this purpose government of Bangladesh and some NGO’s have taken various measures to eliminate child labor.

Various international organizations have also come to find out a solution. Among them UNICEF and ILO are very prominent.

UNICEF opines that, “work that endangers children’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral, or social development must end. Hazardous child labor is a betrayal of every child’s rights as a human being and is an offense against civilization.”

The Four myths about child labour that must be confronted, says The UN agency’s an annual report, are: In 2002/03, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) conducted the second National Child Labour Survey (NCLS). This survey has been designed and conducted in the context of the commitments made by the Government of Bangladesh, following the ratification of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (No. 182) 1999. According to the survey, there are 4.9 million working children 14.2 per cent of the total 35.06 million children in the age group of 5-14 years. The total working child population between 5 and 17 years old is estimated at 7.9 million.

• The proportion of boy and girl child workers, in the age group of 5-17 years, is 73.5 per cent and 26.5 per cent, respectively; • The total number of working children aged 5-17 years in rural areas is estimated at 6.4 million as against 1.5 million in urban areas; • As many as 93.3 per cent of all working children in the age group of 5-17 years operate in the informal sector. Agriculture engages 4.5 million (56.4 per cent

children), while the services sector engages 2 million (25.9 per cent), and industry, 1.4 million (17.7 per cent); • A total of 1.3 million children are estimated to be working 43 hours or more per week. More boys than girls are engaged in this form of child labour across all age groups.

• Finally, the level of awareness on the issue of child labour is still low. Society in general has a rather indifferent attitude towards the problem. In many cases, it is not realized that the children who are employed in, for example, domestic service, often have no access to education or medical care.

Hazardous and exploitative child labour violates child rights as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Immediate action to eliminate such labour must be guided by the best interests of the child. Concern for the well-being of families whose survival may depend upon the earnings of children must include efforts to expand job opportunities for adults.

Since the causes of child labour are complex and include poverty, economic exploitation, social values and culture circumstances, solutions must be comprehensive and must involve the widest possible range of partners in each society.

Some specific actions that are urgently needed are as follows: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6)

Immediate elimination of hazardous and exploitative child labour.

Provision of free and compulsory education.

Wider legal protection.

Birth registration of all children.

Data collection and monitoring.

Codes of conduct and procurement policies.

After two years of difficult negotiations, a formal Memorandum of Understanding was signed in July 1995 by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers Association (BGMEA) and International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF offices in Bangladesh. The resulting programmed was to be funded by these three organizations. BGMEA alone has committed about $1million towards the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding.

Under the terms of the agreement, four key provisions were formulateda) the removal of all under age workers – those below 14 – within a period of four

months; b) no further hiring of under- age children; c) the placement of those children removed from the garment factories in appropriate educational programmed with a monthly stipend; d) The offer of the children’s jobs to qualified adult family members.

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The Memorandum of Understanding explicitly directed factory owners, in the best interest of these children, not to dismiss any child workers until a factory survey was completed and alternative arrangements could be made for the freed children.

Section 4 and 5 provides for special punishments for kidnapping or abducting persons for immoral purpose and for trafficking in person (including children).

It deals fully with the rights for protection and welfare of children. These are the laws that guarantee children’s rights, but these laws have some limitations for which children in all spheres of society are exploited and abused.

This law prohibits the detention of any female child (under 18) in a brothel and provides punishment for causing or encouraging or abetting seduction to prostitution.

This law provides for payment of minimum wages to juvenile workers as fixed by the Wages Board.

Section 22 prohibits the employment of children less than 12 years.

Section 25 and 29 prohibit employment of children (under 16) in factories.

Section 3(1) prohibits the employment of children in transport works, or in carrying goods and passengers or in works involving handling of goods within a port area.

26 prohibit the employment of children (under 15) in mines.

Section 26 prohibits the employment of children (under 15) in mines.

c) Employment of children Act, 1938 Section 3(1) prohibits the employment of children in transport works, or in carrying goods and passengers or in works involving handling of goods within a port area. d) Factories Act, 1965 Section 25 and 29 prohibit employment of children (under 16) in factories. e) Shops and establishment Act, 1965 Section 22 prohibits the employment of children less than 12 years. f) Minimum wages ordinance, 1961 This law provides for payment of minimum wages to juvenile workers as fixed by the Wages Board. g) Suppression of immoral trafficking Act, 1933

This law prohibits the detention of any female child (under 18) in a brothel and provides punishment for causing or encouraging or abetting seduction to prostitution. h) Cruelty to woman (deterrent punishment) ordinance, 1984

Section 4 and 5 provides for special punishments for kidnapping or abducting persons for immoral purpose and for trafficking in person (including children).

It deals fully with the rights for protection and welfare of children. These are the laws that guarantee children’s rights, but these laws have some limitations for which children in all spheres of society are exploited and abused.

Chapter Four: Ending Child Labor (The Next Steps)

4.1 Introduction Hazardous and exploitative child labour violates child rights as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Immediate action to eliminate such labour must be guided by the best interests of the child. Concern for the well-being of families whose survival may depend upon the earnings of children must include efforts to expand job opportunities for adults.

Since the causes of child labour are complex and include poverty, economic exploitation, social values and culture circumstances, solutions must be comprehensive and must involve the widest possible range of partners in each society.

Some specific actions that are urgently needed are as follows: 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) 12)

Immediate elimination of hazardous and exploitative child labour.

Provision of free and compulsory education.

Wider legal protection.

Birth registration of all children.

Data collection and monitoring.

Codes of conduct and procurement policies.

After two years of difficult negotiations, a formal Memorandum of Understanding was signed in July 1995 by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers Association (BGMEA) and International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF offices in Bangladesh. The resulting programmed was to be funded by these three organizations. BGMEA alone has committed about $1million towards the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding.

Under the terms of the agreement, four key provisions were formulated18

e) the removal of all under age workers – those below 14 – within a period of four

months; f) no further hiring of under- age children; g) the placement of those children removed from the garment factories in appropriate educational programmed with a monthly stipend; h) The offer of the children’s jobs to qualified adult family members.

The Memorandum of Understanding explicitly directed factory owners, in the best interest of these children, not to dismiss any child workers until a factory survey was completed and alternative arrangements could be made for the freed children.

4.2 Child labor situation In 2002/03, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) conducted the second National Child Labour Survey (NCLS). This survey has been designed and conducted in the context of the commitments made by the Government of Bangladesh, following the ratification of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (No. 182) 1999. According to the survey, there are 4.9 million working children 14.2 per cent of the total 35.06 million children in the age group of 5-14 years. The total working child population between 5 and 17 years old is estimated at 7.9 million.

• The proportion of boy and girl child workers, in the age group of 5-17 years, is 73.5 per cent and 26.5 per cent, respectively; • The total number of working children aged 5-17 years in rural areas is estimated at 6.4 million as against 1.5 million in urban areas; • As many as 93.3 per cent of all working children in the age group of 5-17 years operate in the informal sector. Agriculture engages 4.5 million (56.4 per cent children), while the services sector engages 2 million (25.9 per cent), and industry, 1.4 million (17.7 per cent); • A total of 1.3 million children are estimated to be working 43 hours or more per week. More boys than girls are engaged in this form of child labour across all age groups.

• Finally, the level of awareness on the issue of child labour is still low. Society in general has a rather indifferent attitude towards the problem. In many cases, it is not realized that the children who are employed in, for example, domestic service, often have no access to education or medical care.

4.3 Measures Taken in Bangladesh to Eliminate Child Labor Child labor is a great obstacle for the development of country. For this purpose government of Bangladesh and some NGO’s have taken various measures to eliminate child labor.

Various international organizations have also come to find out a solution. Among them UNICEF and ILO are very prominent.

UNICEF opines that, “work that endangers children’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral, or social development must end. Hazardous child labor is a betrayal of every child’s rights as a human being and is an offense against civilization.”

The Four myths about child labour that must be confronted, says The UN agency’s an annual report, are: Myth one: Child labour is uniquely a problem of the developing world Myth two: Child labour will never be eliminated until poverty disappears.

Myth three: Child labour primarily clusters in export industries.

Myth four: The only way to make headway against child labour is for consumers and movements to apply pressure through sanctions and boycotts.

Bangladesh is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of Child, 1989. To eliminate child labour, Bangladesh is also a signatory country with IPEC, by the help and cooperation of IPEC, Bangladesh is committed to eliminate child labour from various industries and organizations.

The Memorandum of Understanding explicitly directed factory owners, in the best interest for these children, not to dismiss any child workers until a factory survey was completed and alternative arrangements could be made for the freed children. With the support from UNICEF, two NGOs, Gono Shahajjo Shangstha(GSS), and the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), have been attempting to find places in schools for these children.

Legislation and acts of ratification are important initial steps to eliminate child labour. This legislation makes primary education compulsory for all children above the age of six.

Another program ‘Food for Education’ has also been under taken by the government as a measure to improve the conditions of the children which help to eliminate a substantial portion of child labour.

4.4 NGOs Initiatives to Eliminate Child Labour-

20

A number of national and international NGOs are engaged in promoting support and protective service for working children. Organizations such as, Defense for Children, the NGO group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Anti Slavery Society, and the International Catholic Children’s Bureau are four such organizations that have outstanding activities for working children.

One of the renowned national NGOs is Underprivileged Children’s Educational Program, (UCEP) in our country which is directly involved to facilities the children to promote their career development.

The long term objective of UCEP is to alleviate poverty and improve the socio-economic standards of working child labor and their families in the urban areas of Bangladesh by promoting access to education and skill training.

Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF) is an apex body of 67 NGOs working for children’s right, raising voice against child abuse and child labor. Among them Shoishab (Childhood) is especially work for children’s rights for a safe and present childhood.

Chapter Five- Data presentation and Analysis Table 5.1: Child labor (current status) by gender and urban/rural areas Sources: National Child labor Survey, 2003.

Characteristics 1)Child population

Bangladesh total boys 4238 2268 7 9 7423 5471 7663 5638 7423 5471 240 167

girls 1969 8 1952 2025 1952 73

Urban total boys girls total 9458 5062 4396 3292 9 1408 1041 367 6014 1458 1078 385 6204 1408 1041 367 6014 50 32 18 190

2)Working chiding 3)Child work force Employed Unemployed 4)Child labor as percentage of 42.8 45.0 36.8 50.3 52.8 43.1 working children 5)Child labor as percentage of total 7.5 10.8 3.6 7.5 10.9 3.6 child population Figure5.1: Child labor by gender in Urban-rural areas.

Rural boys 1762 7 4430 4565 4430 135

girls 15302 1584 1639 1585 55

41.1

43.1

35.3

7.5

10.8

3.7

Comments: Table 5.1 presents child labor by gender and urban rural basis and employed and unemployed basis. The proportion of male children was almost three times higher than female child labor.

Table. 2. Child labor (current status) by Age group and gender

Age

Bangladesh

Urban

Group Both Sexes

Eco-Active Children (EAC)

Child labor

Child labor as % of EAC

Eco-Active Children (EAC)

Child labor

Child labor as % of EAC

Total

7423

3179

42.8

1408

708

50.3

05-09

2284

284

100.0

50

50

100.0

10-14

4408

2158

49.0

800

449

56.2

52.1

849

499

58.7

05-14

4692

2442

15-17

2731

737

27.0

559

210

37.5

Boys Total

5471

2461

45.0

1041

550

52.8

05-09

180

180

100.0

313

31

100.0

10-14

3192

1596

50.0

589

331

56.1

3372

1777

52.7

620

362

58.3

15-17

2099

685

32.6

421

188

44.8

Girls

1952

718

36.8

367

158

43.1

05-09

104

104

100.0

19

19

100.0

10-14

1215

562

46.2

211

118

56.3

1319

666

50.5

229

137

59.8

632

52

8.3

138

21

15.4

05-14

05-14 15-17

Source: National child labor survey in Bangladesh 2002-2003

Figure5.2: Economically active child labor (Urban)

Comments: Table 3 presents child labour by sender and urban – rural basis. It is seen from the Table that out of 7.4 million working children 3.2 million were found to be child labour.

Child population and total working children are 7.5 percent and 42.8 percent respectively.

The proportion of male child labour was almost three times higher than female child labour.

Table 5.3: Child labor (current status) by Age group and gender Age Group Bangladesh Both Sexes EcoChild Child Active labor labor 22

EcoActive

Rural Child Chil labor d

Children (EAC)

as % Children of (EAC) EAC

labo r as % of EAC Total 7423 3179 42.8 6014 2471 41.1 05-09 2284 284 100.0 235 235 100.

0 10-14 4408 2158 49.0 3608 1709 47.4 05-14 4692 2442 52.1 3842 1944 50.6 15-17 2731 737 27.0 2172 527 24.3 Boys(Total) 5471 2461 45.0 4430 1911 43.1 05-09 180 180 100.0 149 149 100.

0 10-14 3192 1596 50.0 2603 1266 48.6 05-14 3372 1777 52.7 2752 1415 51.4 15-17 2099 685 32.6 1678 496 29.6 Girls(Total) 1952 718 36.8 1584 560 35.3 05-09 104 104 100.0 86 86 100.

0 10-14 1215 562 46.2 1005 443 44.1 05-14 1319 666 50.5 1090 529 48.5 15-17 632 52 8.3 494 31 6.3 Source: National child labor survey in Bangladesh 2002-2003(B.B.S.)

Figure 5.3: Economically active child labor (Rural)

Comments: There figures are slightly than that of the estimates obtained by usual activity status. Table 3 indicates that, on an average, more boys tend to be exposed to child labour than girls, both in absolute as well as in relative terms.

Gender and No. Child in Percent Age Group Hazardous Work(CHW) Total(05-17) Boys Girls Total(05-11) Boys Girls Total(12-14)

1291 1172 120 124 102 22 430

100.0 90.7 9.0 100.0 82.1 17.9 100.0

Child Labor CHW as Percentage of Child Labor 3179 40.6 2461 47.6 718 16.7 841 14.8 609 16.7 232 9.6 1601 26.9

Boys 385 89.5 1167 33.0 Girls 45 10.5 434 10.4 Total(05-14) 555 100.0 2442 22.7 Boys 484 87.8 177 27.4 Girls 67 12.2 666 10.1 Total(15-17) 737 100.0 737 100.0 Boys 685 92.9 685 100.0 Girls 52 7.1 52 100.0 Table5.4: Child labor and hazardous work by age group and gender Source: National child labor survey in Bangladesh 2002-2003(B.B.S.)

Figure5.4: Child labor and hazardous work by age group.

Comments: Total of 1291 thousand children were estimated to be working in the situations in 2002-2003. More boys them girls were engaged in hazardous works across all age groups.

For instance, in the 5-14 and15-17years age group there work, respectively 420 and 633 thousands more boys exposed to hazards at workplace than girl.

Table 5.5 Working children by age group and gender Age group

Bangladesh

Urban

Total 7423 100.0

Total 1408 100.0

Boys Girls 5471 1952 100.0 100.

0 180 104 3.3 5.3

Rural Boys 1041 100.0

Girls 367 100.0

Total 6014 100.0

Total Percentag e 05-09 284 50 31 19 235 Percentag 3.8 3.5 3.0 5.0 3.9 e 10-14 4408 3192 1215 800 589 211 3608 Percentag 59.4 58.4 62.3 56.8 56.6 57.3 60.0 e 05-14 4692 3372 1319 849 620 229 3842 Percentag 63.2 61.6 67.6 60.3 59.6 62.3 63.9 e 15-17 2731 2099 632 559 421 138 2172 Percentag 36.8 38.4 32.4 39.7 40.4 37.7 36.1 e Source: National child labor survey in Bangladesh 2002-2003(B.B.S.)

24

Boys 4430 100.0

Girls 1584 100.0

149 3.4

86 5.4

2608 58.8

1005 63.4

2752 62.1

1090 68.8

1678 37.9

494 31.2

Figure 5.5: Working children by age group and gender Comments: Working children by age group and gender gave been presented in by current activity status, that is, during the last 7 days preceding the day of survey enumeration.

According to current activity status the total number of working children stands at 7.4 million of which about 5.5 million were boys and 1.9 million were girls.

Table 5.6: Economic participation rate of child labor by age group and gender Bangladesh Total Boys

Girls

Urban Total

Boys

17.5

24.1

9.9

14.9

05-09

1.6

1.9

1.2

10-14

26.1

35.8

05-14

13.4

15-17

37.3

Age group Total

Girls

Rural Total

Boys

Girls

20.6

8.4

18.3

25.1

10.4

1.3

1.6

1.0

1.6

2.0

1.2

15.2

21.0

29.2

11.7

27.6

37.7

16.2

18.5

7.9

11.1

15.5

6.3

14.0

19.3

8.3

47.4

21.8

30.7

40.1

17.9

39.5

49.7

23.2

Source: National child labor survey in Bangladesh 2002-2003(B.B.S.)

Figure 5.6: Economic participation rate.

Comments: Table shows that the actively rate or economic participation rate of the working children. The economically participatory rates in age groups 5-7, 10-14 and 15-17 are 1.6 percent, 26.1 percent and 37.3 percent respectively. The gender wise actively rates for boys and girls also higher in rural areas than in urban areas in all age groups.

The economic participation rates in age groups 5-7,10-14,15-17 are 1.6 %, 26.1% and 37.3% respectively. The gender wise activity rates for boys and girls also higher in rural areas than in urban areas in all age groups.

Table 5.7 Working child labor aged (05-17) years by major industry and gender group.

Major Industry Total Agri.&Forestry Fishing

Bangladesh Total Boys 100.0 100.0 52.7 50.8 3.3 3.8

Girls 100.0 58.0 1.7

Urban Total 100.0 19.6 2.2

Rural Boys Girls Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 18.0 24.1 60.5 2.7 0.1 3.5

Boys 100.0 58.5 4.1

Girls 100.0 65.9 1.9

Mining &Quarrying Manufacturing Construction Hotel & restaurant Trade Transport, Communicatio n Housing, Real estate Health & educ.

Social and community service

0.2

0.1

0.2

0.1

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.2

0.2

14.6 3.1 2.5

12.6 3.4 2.9

20.1 2.3 1.4

27.8 5.6 3.9

23.0 5.6 4.7

41.4 5.5 1.8

11.5 2.6 2.2

10.2 2.9 2.5

15.1 1.5 1.3

14.2 4.7

16.5 6.1

7.8 0.7

26.1 6.9

31.0 8.7

12.1 1.9

11.4 4.2

13.1 5.5

6.8 0.4

-

0.1

0.1

-

-

-

-

0.7 7.2

0.8 7.0

0.6 5.6

1.3 11.1

0.3 3.6

0.2 2.7

0.6 6.3

0.4 4.3

0.3 3.2

Source: National child labor survey in Bangladesh 2002-2003(B.B.S.)

Figure 5.7: Working Child labor (05-17) by major industry

Comments: By rural- urban breakdown the patterns are different in that while in rural areas the distribution by industrial classifications determines the national pattern, in urban areas most children work in services sector and manufacturing with agriculture in the third place.

Table 5.8: Working child labor by their future plan of work.

Bangladesh Future Plan of total work Go to school 43.9 Full time work for 54.1 more income 26

urban

Rural

boys

Girls

total

boys

Girls

total

boys

Girls

42.7 58.7

47.4 0.6

40.8 56.5

39.4 61.9

45.0 40.8

44.6 53.5

43.5 57.9

48.0 40.6

Help family business on full time basis Fulltime household work Past time work and past schooling Look after family business on past time basis Past time household work Start working after competition Don not know

13.9

16.0

7.7

14.2

16.4

7.6

13.8

15.9

7.8

18.0

13.5

31.0

13.2

9.1

25.2

19.1

14.6

32.4

14.5

14.7

14.0

13.0

12.6

14.1

14.9

15.2

14.0

8.3

9.7

4.0

8.5

9.8

4.6

8.2

9.7

3.9

31.6

29.0

39.2

28.4

25.1

38.4

32.3

29.9

39.4

36.2

37.4

32.6

38.2

39.9

33.1

35.7

36.8

32.5

41.1

39.8

45.0

42.7

42.2

44.4

40.7

39.2

45.2

Source: National child labor survey in Bangladesh 2002-2003(B.B.S.)

Figure 5.8: Working child labor by their future plan of work.

Comments: The data also reveal that there was no significant difference in the proportions between urban and rural areas. About 43.9 percents working children reported that their future plan of work was going to school, 54.1 percent wanted to work fulltime for boosting their income and only 8.3 percent expressed their willingness to work in family business on a part time basis.

Photographs on Child Labor

Fig 5.10: Child in workshop.

Fig 5.9: Child as servant

Fig 5.11: Tokai Children

Fig 12: Working girl in Garment

28

Fig 5.13: Children in brick-field

Fig 5.14: Auto mobile worker

Fig 5.15: A mud-collector of brick-fields

Fig 5.16: Construction labor

Fig 5.17: Street children

Fig 5.18: Child labor in Hazardous work

Chapter Six: Findings and Conclusion 6.1 Proposals for Consideration to Eliminate Child LabourIn Bangladesh child labour is an acute problem. The world community has raised its voice against child labour; Bangladesh is also one of them to take measure to eliminate child labour. The government of Bangladesh is trying to make our country free of child labour.

30

Therefore we need to find ways through which we can really solve this problem. Some proposals to eliminate child labour are as follows: The media can play an effective role to highlight the problem about child labour. In Bangladesh this step has been taken by media. Now they are trying to uphold the issue in newspaper, television, radio, etc. and have been organizing seminars, round table conferences and other programs to sensitize the issue of the rights of the children.

In our country the quality of education is not up to the mark. Schools for the poor children are in inferior condition that keeps children away from school. So we need to establish such schools where children of both poor and middle classes will find fun and proper education and will inspire the children to remain there at school hours.

The tradition of our society poses problem. Even now at villages the able parents want their children to work. The poor parents want as both of them are working then all of their children should work also then go to school for gaining more profit. So we need to change this situation. We have to mobilize our society to think better for their children.

The NGOs and government organizations should work in close cooperation to empower the poor, because as long as poverty exists, child labour will continue. If the NGOs and the government organization’s work honestly and sincerely we may hope that they will be able to eliminate poverty which in turn will reduce child labour.

Promotion of a social climate conductive to raise socio-economic status of the child labour within the family and society is necessary. The government should allocate more money in the budget every year to give the distressed child education, shelter and Medicare. If the government can successfully implement this policy we can hope elimination of child labour would not be impossible.

Many children of Bangladesh and other South Asian countries are victims of trafficking.

Serious measures should be taken immediately to stop child trafficking. ILO convention 138(b) should be ratified for broadening the base of policy guidelines and act

Conclusion: Child labour is not only a problem in a developing country like Bangladesh, but a problem of developed countries too. The reality in Bangladesh is that employment fir children are so widespread that it cannot be totally eliminated within a short time. Rather the goal should be achieved phase by phase. We have to build a strong commitment and awareness in the society regarding the responsibility to our children. We must remember that if we are to survive as a nation with all the human values and dignity the first

responsibility of the community should be to create public opinion through mass media to eradicate this evil of child labour.

Children are the future hope of our country. If we can provide better education for them, they will not be a burden but become an asset of our country. So the government, nongovernment organizations and other cooperative organizations should come forward to undertake jointly program to find out strategy in launching rehabilitation programs for the welfare of the ill-fated workers.

Since the main cause of child labour is poverty, emphasis should be given to alleviation of poverty. Strengthening economic empowerment of related families is important in this respect. In such programs international community has a very important role to play.

From now on let us take care of today’s buds for being enchanted as tomorrow’s fragrant flowers.

Bibliography

1.

Ahmed,P.Islam,M.and Jahan R. (Eds.), Disadvantages Bangladesh::Some reflections. Women pp.115-116, 1981.

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2. Taher, M.A. Child labor In Bangladesh: A Critical Review. Social Review Volume 9,

December 1992, No:2, p.122.

3. UNICEF, The state of the world’s children, 2006, Oxford university press.

4. Firdous Zareen, Kh. Saima Afrin, child labor in Bangladesh: A critical

Analysis::Empowerment, 1998, Volume5, p.23-44.

5. Alia ahmad and M.A.Quasem: child labour in Bangladesh 6. B.B.S: Report on National Child Labor Survey;2002-03

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