Child labour in Nepal

The incidence of child labour in Nepal is relatively high compared with other countries in South Asia.[1] According to the Nepal Labour Force Survey in 2008, 86.2% of the children who were working were also studying, while 13.8% of the working children were not.[2]

Table 1: Child Labour Force Participation Rates over time
Year Total Male Female Area of Residence
Urban Rural
1996[3] 41.7 36.1 47.6 23.0 43.4
2004[4] 32.0 30.2 32.5 12.4 33.9
2008[2] 33.9 30.2 37.8 14.4 36.7
2010[1] 44.0 41.0 48.0 31.0 46.0
Young Nepali girl working in the fields of Nepal

Most children (60.5%) worked up to 19 hours in 2008, while 32.2% worked 20 to 40 hours a week and 7.3% worked for more than 40 hours in a week.[5] This trend is consistent in both rural and urban areas.[5] The 2003/2004 Nepal Living Standards Survey Statistical Report Volume II[6] noted that the poorest consumption quintile has the highest percentage (18.7%) of child laborers who for more than 40 hours a week as compared with the rest of the consumption quintile. Also, according to Edmonds (2006)[7] female children work more hours than their male siblings. In the same study, Edmonds states that the majority of child labourers work in the agricultural sector and in domestic labour.[7]

According to Ray (2004),[8] child schooling and child labour force participation rates are negatively correlated, as there is a trade-off between the two variables. Thus, an increase in labour hours would mean lesser time for schooling, and lesser work hours equals to an increase in time spent for schooling.

  1. ^ a b Government of Nepal, Central Bureau of Statistics/The United Nations Children's Fund. (2011). Findings from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2010 in the Mid-and Far-Western Regions, Nepal p.14.[permanent dead link‍], Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Government of Nepal, Central Bureau of Statistics, National Planning Commission Secretariat. (2009). Nepal Labour Force Survey 2008 Statistical Report p. 135. Archived February 14, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  3. ^ Central Department of Population Studies, Tribhuvan University. (1997). Child Labour Situation In Nepal p.34. Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  4. ^ Government of Nepal, Central Bureau of Statistics, National Planning Commission Secretariat. (2004). Nepal Living Standard Survey 2003/04 Statistical Report Volume II p.53. Archived 2010-05-24 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved 18 January 2012.
  5. ^ a b NEPAL LABOUR FORCE SURVEY 2008 STATISTICAL REPORT. Central Bureau of Statistics Thapathali, Kathmandu Nepal http://cbs.gov.np/image/data/Surveys/2015/NLFS-2008%20Report.pdf Archived 2017-01-18 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ NEPAL LIVING STANDARDS SURVEY 2003/04 STATISTICAL REPORT VOLUME TWO. CENTRAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS National Planning Commission Secretariat His Majesty’s Government of Nepal December 2004.
  7. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Ray, R. (2004). Child Labour and Child Schooling in South Asia: A Cross Country Study of their Determinants., Retrieved 18 January 2012.