A Study of Factors Related to Child Labor in an Urban Slum

OBJECTIVES-The present study was carried out to study the prevalence and causes of child labor in an urban slum and to find the factors associated to child labor. METHODOLOGY- The present cross-sectional study was carried out in an urban field practice area of Community Medicine Department of Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences, Karad Maharashtra. All the children in the age group of 5-14 years were contacted with a house-to-house survey. Data was collected by filling a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire in the presence of their parents. The questionnaire contained the details of working children, details of their jobs, their employers and their pay, the effect of work on schooling/studies, about their families and socio-economic status. Their parents were also interviewed and necessary information was obtained from them. The diet history was obtained from them as well as their parent. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS - Chi square test, proportions, percentages, means and standard deviations. RESULTS - The prevalence of child labor in the study area was 36.30 %, amongst these 72.13 % were boys and 27.86 % were girls.82 % of these were from socio-economic class 4 and 68.8 % of fathers and 95 % of mothers of these children were illiterate.59 % had an alcoholic father.78.7 % of child labourers were engaged in full time labour and were not attending school at all.76.92 % said that work interfered with studies. The main reason to go to work was poverty in 86.9 % and family debt in 34.4 %. Most of the girls 76.47 % work in homes and tamashas and 47.7 % boys work in catering.65.6 % were compelled to work, 39.34 % were compelled by their mothers. Neither employment security nor leaves were given to any child. All children were found to be malnourished.