Child Labor in Africa : Issues and Challenges

How serious is the issue of child labor in Sub-Saharan Africa? Many African experts consider it to be no problem, while others believe it to be more serious than anywhere else in the world. A cursory glance at the statistics supports either view. I...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors:	Andvig, Jens, Canagarajah, Sudharshan, Kielland, Anne
Format:	Brief
Language:	English
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2012
Subjects:	CHILD LABOR CHILD LABOR LAWS COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE LABOR DEMAND FAMILY FARMS SCHOOL ENROLLMENT CHILD CARE MOTHERS' EDUCATION EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT ROAD MAINTENANCE WATER SUPPLY WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS CAPACITY BUILDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CHILD-CARE BENEFITS SLAVERY LEGISLATION LABOR MARKETS CHILD PROTECTION SOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEMS ABUSE ACCESS TO SCHOOLS BEGGING CHILD LABOR ISSUES CHILD PROSTITUTION CHILD RIGHTS CHILD SLAVERY CHILD WELFARE CHILD WORKERS DOMESTIC LABOR DOMESTIC SERVICE EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS FAMILIES FAMILY FARM FARM WORK FORMAL EDUCATION FORMS OF CHILD LABOR HOURS OF WORK INTERNATIONAL CHILD LABOR INTERNATIONAL LAW LABOR FORCE LABOR MARKET ORPHANS PARENTS PRIVATE HOUSEHOLDS PROSTITUTION PROTECTING CHILDREN REFUGEE CHILDREN RIGHT TO EDUCATION SCHOOL CHILDREN SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMS SCHOOL HOURS SOCIAL PROTECTION SOCIAL PROTECTION POLICIES SOLDIERS SURVIVAL PROSPECTS VOCATIONAL SKILLS VULNERABLE GROUPS WORK LONG HOURS WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2001/11/1615072/child-labor-africa-issues-challenges http://hdl.handle.net/10986/9791

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Summary:	How serious is the issue of child labor in Sub-Saharan Africa? Many African experts consider it to be no problem, while others believe it to be more serious than anywhere else in the world. A cursory glance at the statistics supports either view. ILO data indicate that more than 40 percent of African children work--almost twice as many as in Asia. On the other hand, household surveys suggest that over 95 percent of child labor takes place in and around private households. African society places a high value on children working at home or the family farm. This is not seen as "harmful" or as a welfare issue--a view opposed by many Western countries. This article explores the normative and factual basis for the different perceptions of child labor in Africa, and provides grounds effective social protection policies. Both welfare economic research and findings of sociological and anthropological studies have been reviewed.

Child Labor in Africa : Issues and Challenges

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