The Detrimental Effects of Child Labor on Health and Well-being

Introduction

Child labor, a long-standing global issue, deprives children of their fundamental rights, jeopardizing their health, education, and overall well-being. Defined as work that is either too dangerous or too strenuous for a child's age, or that compromises their physical, mental, social, or educational development, child labor affects millions worldwide. Despite efforts to combat it, child labor persists, exacerbated by factors such as poverty, conflict, and inadequate educational opportunities. This article examines the multifaceted adverse effects of child labor on children's health and well-being, drawing on recent research and statistics.

Historical Context and Global Prevalence

For decades, child labor has been an important global issue associated with inadequate educational opportunities, poverty, and gender inequality. While not all work carried out by children is considered child labor, engagement of children or adolescents in work with no influence on their health and schooling is usually regarded as positive. The topic gained scientific attention with the Industrial Revolution. Research conducted in the UK, because of adverse outcomes in children, resulted in acts for child labor in 1802. Many countries followed the UK, in recognition of the associated health risks. The ILO took its first stance in 1973 by setting the minimum age for work. Nevertheless, the ILO and other international organizations that target the issue failed to achieve goals. Child labor was part of the Millennium Development Goals, adopted by 191 nations in 2000 to be achieved by 2015. Despite the reported decline in child labor from 1995 to 2000, it remains a major concern.

Today, nearly 1 in 10 children worldwide are engaged in labor that denies them their basic human rights and jeopardizes their well-being. According to the United Nations, child labor has been on the rise in recent years, driven by conflicts, crises, and the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which have pushed countless families deeper into poverty. Approximately 160 million children have been forced into child labor since 2020. Of these children, 63 million were girls, and 97 million were boys.

Data from the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) shows that slightly more than 1 in 5 children in the world’s poorest countries engage in potentially harmful work. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest number of child laborers, with nearly 24% of children aged 5 to 17 engaged in child labor. Factors contributing to child labor in low-income countries include family poverty and inadequate education. However, child labor isn’t limited to low-income countries.

Physical Health Impacts

Child labor has wide-ranging detrimental effects on children's physical health, including:

Malnutrition and Growth Impairment

Malnutrition and poor growth were reported to be highly prevalent among working children. A study conducted in Pakistan reported that child labor is associated with wasting, stunting, and chronic malnutrition. A community based group comparison study was undertaken to assess the effect of child labour on the growth of children. The study subjects were 223 child labourers aged between 8-15 y who were matched by age to an equal number of controls and pair matched for gender. At older ages (12 y and above for weight and 14 y and above for height) the difference was statistically significant. Similarly standard deviation (s.d.) scores for weight for age and height for age of male comparison subjects was significantly (P<0.01) nearer to National Centre for Health Statistics (NCHS) standard than that of the child labourers. Body mass index (BMI) below normal value, that is, 18.5 was observed in significantly (P=0.0261) more child labourers 180 (80.7%) than controls 160 (71.1%). With increasing duration of employment BMI decreased from 18.1 (+/-3.5) to 17.3 (+/-2.2). Genital development was observed to be delayed significantly in male child labourers.

Work-Related Illnesses and Injuries

Children engaged in labor have poor health status, which could be precipitated or aggravated by labor. A study conducted in Bangladesh reported that there is a statistically significant positive association between child labor and the probability to report any injury or illness, tiredness/exhaustion, body injury and other health problems. Number of hours worked and the probability of reporting injury and illness were positively correlated. Younger children were more likely to suffer from backaches and other health problems (infection, burns and lung diseases), while probability of reporting tiredness/exhaustion was greater in the oldest age group. Furthermore, the frequency of reporting any injury or illness increases with the number of hours worked, with significant variation across employment sectors. A study in Iran reported that industrial workrooms were the most common place for injury (58.2%). Falling from heights or in horizontal surface was the most common mechanism of injury (44%). None of the patients was using a preventive device at the time of injury.

Musculoskeletal Problems

A study in Brazil compared the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain between working and non-working children. Authors reported that the prevalence of pain in the neck, knee, wrist or hands, and upper back exceeded 15%. Workers in manufacturing had a significantly increased risk for musculoskeletal pain and back pain, while child workers in domestic services had 17% more musculoskeletal pain and 23% more back pain than non-workers.

Sensory Impairments

A study conducted in India reported that the prevalence of eyestrain in child laborers was 25.9%, which was significantly more than the 12.4% prevalence in a comparison group.

Increased Risk of Infections

A study in Iran explored the prevalence of viral infections (HIV, HCV and HBV) in working children. The study reported that the prevalence among working street children was much higher than in general population. The 4.5% of children were HIV positive, 1.7% were hepatitis B positive and 2.6% hepatitis C positive.

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Exposure to Hazardous Conditions

Children can work in dangerous conditions in all sectors, including agriculture, mining, construction, manufacturing, the service industry, retail and domestic service. However, agriculture is where the highest incidence of child labourers are found (71%) and it is a sector particularly prone to dangerous conditions, especially for children. For example, hazardous work in cotton production is among the worst forms of child labour, as children are exposed to harmful pesticides (as indicated by ILO Convention 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour, which was universally ratified in 2020). The ILO estimates that some 22,000 children are killed at work every year. However, due to the fact that much of child labour is hidden, it is difficult to obtain accurate data on how children are being affected. This is even more reason to stamp out the practice of child labour altogether.

Mental and Psychosocial Health Impacts

Overall, all studies included, except one, reported that child labor is associated with higher prevalence of mental and/or behavioral disorders. School attendance, family income and status, daily working hours and likelihood of abuse, in its different forms, were found to be associated with the mental health outcomes in working children. Child labor subjects children to abuse, whether verbally, physically or sexually which ultimately results in psychological disturbances and behavioral disorders. Moreover, peers and colleagues at work can affect the behavior of children, for example, smoking or drugs.

Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

A study conducted in Jordan reported a significant difference in the level of coping efficacy and psychosocial health between working non-schooled children, working school children and non-working school children. Non-working school children had a better performance on the SDQ scale. A study conducted in Pakistan reported that the prevalence of behavioral problems among working children was 9.8%. Peer problems were most prevalent, followed by problems of conduct. A study from Ethiopia reported that emotional and behavioral disorders are more common among working children. However, another study in Ethiopia reported a lower prevalence of mental/behavioral disorders in child laborers compared to non-working children. The stark difference between these two studies could be due to the explanation provided by Alem et al.

Abuse and Exploitation

A study concerned with child abuse in Bangladesh reported that the prevalence of abuse and child exploitation was widespread. Boys were more exposed. One study focused on sexual assault among working females in Nigeria. They reported that the sexual assault rate was 77.7%. In 38.6% of assault cases, the assailant was a customer.

Long-Term Mental Health Consequences

Children involved in child labour are more likely to experience worse health outcomes also later in life. The impact of hazardous work can cause profound and long-lasting health problems, that may only become evident in adulthood. This makes them difficult to measure or even prove. Cancer, infertility and chronic backpain are just some of the possible long-term negative health outcomes. There is also the potential impact of child labour on individuals mental health.

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The Role of Poverty and Socioeconomic Factors

Most often child labor is a product of poverty. It often occurs when families are facing financial insecurity due to a sudden illness or job loss. Migrant and refugee children - many of whom have been uprooted by conflict, disaster or other emergency - also risk being forced into work and even trafficked, especially if they are migrating alone or taking irregular routes with their families. Trafficked children are often subjected to violence, abuse and other human rights violations.

Poverty is the primary reason children are forced to work, perpetuating a crushing cycle that denies them education, a crucial tool to break free from poverty. According to the ILO, approximately 70% of child laborers toil in agriculture.

International Efforts and Legal Frameworks

The issue of child labor is guided by two International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions - ILO Convention No. 138, which sets a minimum age for employment, and ILO Convention No. 182, which prohibits and calls for immediate action to eliminate the worst forms of child labor - and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. These conventions frame the concept of child labor and form the basis for child labor legislation enacted by signatory nations.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 182 demands that hazardous and morally damaging labor practices for children be immediately and completely eliminated.

Strategies for Combating Child Labor

To accelerate progress toward reducing and ultimately eliminating all forms of child labor, UNICEF and ILO call on governments to:

invest in social protection for vulnerable households, including social safety nets such as universal child benefits, so families do not resort to child labor
strengthen child protection systems to identify, prevent, and respond to children at risk, especially those facing the worst forms of child labor
provide universal access to quality education, especially in rural and crisis-affected areas, so every child can learn
ensure decent work for adults and youth, including workers’ rights to organize and defend their interests
enforce child labor laws and business accountability to end exploitation and protect children across supply chains.

UNICEF helps keep children safe from child labor by:

supporting vulnerable families with multipurpose humanitarian cash transfers, which can be used to help cover school fees and basic household expenses, easing income pressures on parents - and helping them avoid negative coping mechanisms like sending children to work
working to improve children's access to formal or non-formal education and providing learning materials and other support to students, teachers and classrooms to ensure quality
working with governments to adopt and implement child labor laws, regulations and policies that protect children from child labor and other forms of exploitation and abuse

World Vision, in partnership with the Association of Coffee Exporters of Honduras and Jacobs Douwe Egberts, a global coffee and tea company, has opened child care and development centers in Honduras’ coffee regions to prevent child labor. By offering spaces for children like these two girls during the harvest season where they can gain valuable skills in a safe environment while their parents work, we’re tackling the persistence of child labor.

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