2018

IMPACT OF CHILD
LABOUR ON ADULT
UNEMPLOYMENT IN
PAKISTAN

Bachelors Of Public Administration-II

Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
IMPACT OF CHILD LABOUR ON ADULT
UNEMPLOYMENT IN PAKISTAN

BY

Salsabeel Ali
Aqsa Khalid
Nadia
Maria Gohar
Wajiha Yousaf

SUBMITTED TO
Ma’am Sana Mukarram

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

FATIMAH JINNAH WOMEN UNIVERSITY, RAWALPIDI

7th MAY, 2018

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 ABSTRACT
Child labor is one of the most prominent issues globally. Pakistan is also subjected to problems
arise by child labor. This research is based on the impact of child labor on employment
opportunities in Pakistan. A questionnaire was distributed among 15 unemployed individuals.
Results showed that there is no such impact of child labor over the employment opportunities in
Pakistan. The data was limited because of which we were unable to find an accurate answer for
our research questions. Taking the data in consideration it was also concluded that child labour
although do not decrease employment opportunities for educated individuals, but it significantly
decrease the opportunities for people who are little skilled or not educated to do office work.

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER 1 ................................................................................................................................... 4
INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 4
1.1 Child Labor ........................................................................................................................... 4
1.2 Adult Unemployment............................................................................................................ 4
1.3 Significance of the Study ...................................................................................................... 5
1.4 Research Objectives .............................................................................................................. 5
1.5 Research Question ................................................................................................................ 5
1.6 Delimitation of the study ...................................................................................................... 6
CHAPTER 2 ................................................................................................................................... 7
2.1 Literature Review.................................................................................................................. 7
2.2 Hypothesis............................................................................................................................. 9
2.3 Model of the study ................................................................................................................ 9
CHAPTER 3 ................................................................................................................................. 10
METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................................... 10
3.1 Population ........................................................................................................................... 10
3.2 Sample Size......................................................................................................................... 10
3.3 Tool ..................................................................................................................................... 10
3.4 Research Technique ............................................................................................................ 10
3.5 Data Analysis ...................................................................................................................... 10
3.6 Discussion ........................................................................................................................... 20
3.7 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 21
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 22

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 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Child Labor

Child labor can be defined as the employment of a child in a business or industry especially in
violation of state or federal statutes prohibiting the employment of children under a specified
age. It can also be defines as when a child is used to do hard work at the expense of his/her
development and education. Constitution of any country defines an age limit under which it is
illegal to employ a person. In Pakistan the age limit is 14years. Both constitution and labour law
prohibit the employment of children below the age of 14years. Children employed in public
places and markets as street beggars, car washers, shoe shiners, and watchers, scavengers and
feet washers are almost everywhere in Pakistan.

1.2 Adult Unemployment

Unemployment means the number of people in the workforce who want to work but do not have
a job. Adult unemployment refers to the lack of employment opportunities among adults. In
Pakistan the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a
percentage of the labour force. The rate of unemployment remained unchanged at 5.90 percent in
2016 from 5.90 percent in 2015. It is expected to be 6.00 percent by the end of this quarter,
according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts’ expectations. The
government defines those people as employed who had looked up for a job within past four
weeks and calculates the number of people currently unemployed through a monthly survey
called the Current Population Survey.

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1.3 Significance of the Study

This research work is designed to examine the issue of child labor and further issues rising from
this evil act with special focus on Pakistan. Child labor is a resolute problem for both developing
and developed countries. There are many serious social issues which are not yet addressed
properly and not getting attention from the public, media and the government. Child labor is one
of them. Poverty is the main determinant of child labor, and child labor significantly increases
the income and the probability of survival of the family. Further causes are “illiteracy” and “least
parents concern”.

Out topic is more specific on child labors impact on unemployment. Children are paid much
lower wages than adults for the same amount of work and this is the only reason employers
choose to hire children rather than adults. Thus Child labor increases adult unemployment, which
in turn forces adults to put their children to work, generating a vicious circle. This
unemployment is further a bigger problem for the economy of a country.

Child they say are hope of tomorrow. It is therefore important and necessary to engage in efforts
that will enhance children well-being by drawing attention to their present problematic situation,
thereby help the government to formulate policies that will protect the rights of these weak
members of society.

“Pakistan is proud of her youth, particularly the students, who are nation builders of
tomorrow. They must fully equip themselves by discipline, education, and training for the
arduous task lying ahead of them”. (Quaid-e- Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah)

1.4 Research Objectives

 To find the impact of Child Labour on Adult Unemployment in Pakistan.

1.5 Research Question

 Does Child Labour impact the Adult Unemployment in Pakistan?

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1.6 Delimitation of the study
This study is more focused on adult unemployment and child labour. Studies should be made on
how child labour impacts economy of a country. Not only primary data rather secondary data
should also be collected to study briefly how child labour impacts employments opportunities
and economy of a country. The data was compiled from educated and uneducated individuals,
but it actually should be collected from uneducated individuals only. As child labors are hired in
place of uneducated people who have technical or mechanical background.

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 CHAPTER 2

2.1 Literature Review

Jafer et al. (2018) discovered that working students are more mentally and physically stressed.
They compiled that these children are at a risk of long term health complications. Their study
showed that these children don’t get only one kind of illness but are subjected to different risk
factors.

Another research by Sanchez (2017) shows similar results. He said that child labor is the act to
force the students to work and lose the opportunity to realize activities according to their age.
Working students are inclined to various diseases and in most cases cannot be treated because of
low income. Child labour is the continuous child abuse which adversely affects the development
of the children.

As we know that developing countries have more percentage of diseases. One of the reason high
levels of diseases can be child labour. Khakshour and Ajilean (2015) concluded that developing
countries have comparatively more percentage of child labor population than industrialized
countries. Even if the child is having any health issue, his or family does not bother to provide
any medical assistance. It also significantly increases diseases in a country. Due to which many
children are unable to enjoy their schooling.

In addition, not only outdoor paid jobs, even household works are not considered suitable for a
studying child. Khanum (2016) in her research showed that, the involvement of young children
in household works increases the chances to combine study with work. This mix up of study in
work badly affects the child’s school attendance.

On the other hand, Liebel (2015) said that in Bolivia new rules and regulation are inserted which
does not prohibit working of child. Even youth is also favoring the regulations. The good thing is
they are demanding to ensure the rights of children to protect them from any kind of abuse. The
youth wants that child labor should not be highlighted rather rights of a child should be
highlighted as first preference.

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Apart from these all, Child labor legislation is important to protect children from any kind of
child labor. Despite of the legislation the number of working children cannot be reduced until the
core causes are not addressed. UNICEF Report (Nigeria 2016) revealed that about 6 million
children in Nigeria are working including both boys and girls. All those children who are
working do not earn enough money to continue schooling and cannot cross the boundary of
poverty. As school attendance is the sign of level of interest and commitment to education. The
high demand in workplace compels the children to skip their classes.

Furthermore, school attendance is not only connected with child labor. It is influenced by many
other factors like teachers, school quality etc. A study done in the urban population of Turkey
from the selected schools revealed that the majority of working children are boys from large
families of low socio economic status. School quality was also considered to have a significant
impact on the school performance and attendance of both working and even for non-working
children. (Cennet et al. 2015)

Although school attendance is affected by child labor, but do the performance of a child is also
affected or not. The research conducted by Guarcello et al. (2016) reveals that there is some
difference between the working and non- working children in terms of ‘input’ (e.g. regular class
attendance, tiredness, concentration etc.), but little or no difference is between them in regard to
outputs (e.g. test scores, final exams marks etc.). In other words, working students perform at a
level equal to non-working students of their class. However, they may encounter difficulties i.e.
coming to school regularly or may be tired during class.

On the base of work of Guarcello et al, children are doing work rather than attending school.
Many are good at studies as well, but they still prefer going on work over school. Nogler and
Pertile (2016) researched that, 78 percent of all children between 7 and 14 years of age were
attending school at the time of the surveys; while 25 percent of all children in this age group
were doing labor. They said that poverty is one of the main causes of low attendance and high
child labor.

Moreover, a research by Hoop and Roosati (2014) concluded that child labour cannot be
minimized by stopping children to work. We have to engage the children in school. Promoting
school attendance and enrollment can reduce child labor significantly.

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Abdelgadir (2018) said in his research that child labor has much adverse impact over the
development of a nation. This issue must be talked about, as on each activity a child is
contracted; there is need of a youthful and capable individual. For saving purposes, a manager
employs a child rather than an accomplished person. We need to advance forward to stop child
labour. Notwithstanding previously mentioned viewpoints, child labour is additionally
diminishing employment opportunities in our country. Because of which employment
opportunities are decreased, this brings about unemployment (one of the major issues of
Pakistan).

2.2 Hypothesis
H1 Child labor impacts positively on Adult unemployment in Pakistan.

H0 Child labor does not impact Adult unemployment in Pakistan.

2.3 Model of the study

ADULT
CHILD LABOUR
UNEMPLOYMENT

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 CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

3.1 Population
Unemployed adults of Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

3.2 Sample Size

A questionnaire of 20 questions was randomly distributed among 15 unemployed adults in
Rawalpindi.

3.3 Tool
Primary data was collected using questionnaire.

3.4 Research Technique

Using snowball technique we distributed questionnaire among unemployed individuals.

3.5 Data Analysis

Question 1

Children are going for work because they want to support their family.

Strongly
Disagree
0%
Disagree
20%

Strongly
Agree
Neutral 47%
20%

Agree
13%

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Many respondents showed their strong agreement that to support their family children are
compelled to do work.

Question 2

Child Labors do not attend school because no one in their family supports them.

Disagree Strongly
7% Disagree
0%

Neutral
13%

Agree Strongly
20% Agree
60%

The most common view of people was that the family of child do not supports him/her in
education.

Question 3

Child Labors are given salaries as per minimum wages mentioned in law.

Strongly
Strongly
Agree
Disagree
27%
33%
Agree
0%
Neutral
Disagree 0%
40%

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Here the opinion was mixed, but many respondent agreed that children are paid according to the
minimum wages mentioned in law.

Question 4

Children favor working over school because they cannot afford it.

Strongly
Strongly
Disagree
Agree
20%
27%
Disagree
13%

Agree
Neutral 33%
7%

Most of the respondents agreed that children are unable to avail school because of financial
issues.

Question 5

The families of children themselves do not allow them to go to school.

Disagree Strongly
7% Disagree
0%

Neutral
13%
Strongly
Agree
47%
Agree
33%

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47% of the respondents strongly agreed that children are not allowed by their families to get
education.

Question 6

It is the family of child who drags him into child labor.

Strongly
Strongly Agree
Disagree 21%
32%
Agree
10%

Disagree Neutral
16% 21%

We got mixed opinions from the respondents, but most respondents strongly disagreed that the
families of children drag them into child labor.

Question 7

Children choose to work on their own will.

Strongly
Strongly Agree
Disgree 33%
40%

Agree
14%

Disagree Neutral
13% 0%

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The most common opinion among the respondents was that they strongly disagreed that children
work on their own will

Question 8

If children will stop working their families will suffer more.

Strongly
Disagree
0%
Disagree
13%
Strongly
Agree
Neutral
40%
20%

Agree
27%

Here no one strongly disagreed that the families of the children will suffer if they stop working.
The most common opinion was the respondent actually strongly agreed on the point that families
suffer more.

Question 9

Do you think schooling is not valuable for child labors, because their family income will suffer if
they stop working?

Disagree
Neutral 8%
7%

Strongly
Agree
Agree
31%
54%

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Most of the respondents strongly agreed that schooling is not valuable for child labors, as their
families will suffer more.

Question 10

Do you think the conditions of a family get better when a child starts earning for the family?

Strongly
Disagree Strongly
20% Agree
Disagree 33%
7%

Neutral Agree
27% 13%

Mix opinions were there, but the most common 33% respondents strongly agreed that the family
conditions get better when a child starts working.

Question 11

Are you unemployed by your own choice?

Strongly
Agree
7%

Strongly
Disagree
Agree
20%
20%

Disagree Neutral
33% 20%

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Most individuals i-e 33% disagreed that they are unemployed by their own choice, it means due
they are not given with the opportunities.

Question 12

Do you feel you have personally been discriminated against by an employer, or not?

Strongly
Disagree
0%

Strongly
Disagree Agree
33% 25%

Agree
17%
Neutral
25%

The individuals who were previously doing some job mostly disagreed that they were
discriminated by an employer, but there was affair amount i-e 17% who agreed that they were
discriminated.

Question 13

Do you feel you have the skills and techniques to compete in the current job market?

Disagree Strongly
0% Agree
Strongly 7%
Disagree
0%
Neutral
26%

Agree
67%

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Almost 67% respondents agreed that they have the skills to compete in job market.

Question 14

Do you think child labor decreases employment opportunities?

Strongly
Disagree
0%

Disagree
Strongly
19%
Agree
31%
Neutral
13%

Agree
37%

The most common opinion i-e 37% respondent agreed that child labour decrease job
opportunities, but there were fair amount of respondents i-e 31% who strongly disagreed that
child labour decrease job opportunities.

Question 15

Will you accept a low wage job offered to you?

Strongly Strongly
Disagree Agree
13% 7%

Disagree
20% Agree
40%
Neutral
20%

Almost 40% respondents agreed they will accept a job with low wage if offered to them.

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Question 16

Is there a minimum level of wage per month below which you would not accept a job?

Strongly
Disagree
0%

Disagree Strongly
27% Agree
37%

Neutral
9%
Agree
27%

Most respondents strongly agreed that they have set a minimum wage per month below which
they will not accept a job.

Question 17

If child labor is decreased, will employment opportunities increase for you?

Strongly
Disagree
12%
Strongly
Agree
25%
Disagree
25%
Agree
19%
Neutral
19%

Mixed opinions were there; most common were disagreement with the point and strong
agreement with the point that child labor will increase job opportunities for them.

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Question 18

Do you think child labour should be diminished from the country?

Strongly
Disagree Disagree
7% 0%

Neutral
20%
Agree
0%
Strongly
Agree
73%

Almost 73% person respondents strongly agreed that child labor should be diminished from the
country.

Question 19

Will you report someone who hires children as employees?

Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
0%
0%

Neutral
27%
Strongly
Agree
46%

Agree
27%

More respondents i-e 46% strongly agreed that they will report someone if the person is
employing children as labor.

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Question 20

Do you think eliminating child labour will decrease poverty?

Strongly Strongly
Disagree
Agree Disagree
7%
0% 0%

Agree
46%
Neutral
47%

Although, most respondent were neutral on the point that poverty will be decreased if child
labour is eliminated, but there was fair amount of respondents who agreed on the point.

3.6 Discussion
This study was basically taken out to find that either child labor decreases employment
opportunities for adults or not? The results derived from the research showed that child labor
does not decrease employment opportunities for some adults in Pakistan and do decrease for
some others. 25% respondents disagreed that child labour decrease employment opportunities for
them, it is because the respondent were educated and do not prefer jobs which are done by child
labors. On the other hand 19% agreed on that it does decrease employment opportunities for
them. We can say that these 19% are unemployed because of child labor. Many people consider
it as a problem, but not as a barrier to employment opportunities.

According to the study of Hoop and Roosati (2014), they stressed on the point that child labors
schooling must be taken into consideration. Same should be done in Pakistan rather than
stopping the children to work, government should focus on their schooling. In the research we
find out that many child labors do not attend school, because they cannot afford it, so their

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schooling should be focused. It will be a long-term solution of both issues child labor and
unemployment in Pakistan.

Most of the respondents agreed on the point that schooling is not valuable for child labors,
because in Pakistan due to low unemployment rate the adults of the family cannot support them
for schooling, even cannot manage the basic necessities. So, their first priority is survival not
education.

We found that many individuals have the skills and potentials to compete in job market, but are
not employed. Individuals with technical background are actually supposed to be employed on
the place of child labors. It can be proved in a way that many respondents agreed that child
labors are not given proper wages, so an employer has a benefit here, because of which
employers hire child instead of adults.

3.7 Conclusion
The problem of unemployment can be eliminated from Pakistan, but it will take time and
collective effort from the people. We have to find out the root cause of unemployment to cope
with it. Stopping children from working and providing them education can be fair step to
decrease the unemployment rate in Pakistan. Although many educated people do not feel child
labour as a problem for employment opportunities, but those who have mechanical skills, and are
not educated enough do consider child labour as a barrier to employment opportunities.

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 REFERENCES

 Abdalla Ibrahim Salma, M Abdalla, Mohammed Jafer, Jihad Abdelgadir, Nanne de Vries.
(2018). Child labor and health: a systematic literature review of the impacts of child labor
on child’s health in low- and middle-income countries. Journal of Public Health. Availble
at: https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdy018
 F Sanchez. (2017). Armed conflict exposure, human capital investments, and child labor:
Evidence from Colombia. Defense and Peace Economics. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1080/10242694.2011.597239
 A Khakshour, M Ajilian. (2015). Child labor facts in the worldwide. Journal of
Pediatrics. Retrieved from: http://ijp.mums.ac.ir/article_3946.html
 Rasheda Khanam. (2016). Child labour and school attendance: evidence from
Bangladesh. International Journal of Social Economics. Retrieved from:
https://doi.org/10.1108/03068290810843855
 M Liebel. (2015). Childhood-Paths To Participatory Autonomy. SAGE Journals.
Retrieved from: http://journals.sagepub.com/home/chd
 Cennet Engin Demira, Erol Demirb, Sevil Uygurc. (2015). The Relationship Between
Work, School Performance and School Attendance of Primary School Children in
Turkey. European Conference on Educational Research, University of Geneva. Available
at: www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/158450.doc
 Luca Nogler, Marco Pertile. (2016). Child Labour in a Globalized World. A Legal
Analysis of ILO Action. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/...Child_Labour.../A-
review-of-Child-Labour-in-a-Global-world//
 de Hoop, Jacobus Rosati. (2014) . Cash Transfers and Child Labor. Policy Research
Working Paper;No. 6826. World Bank, Washington, DC. © World Bank.
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/17715 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
 Child Labour and Pakistan. (2017). Constitutional Provisions. Available at:
https://borgenproject.org/child-labor-in-pakistan/
 Pakistan Unemployment Rate. 1958-2018 Data. Available at:
https://tradingeconomics.com/pakistan/unemployment-rate

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 UNICEF REPORT ON NIGERIA (2016). Information sheet on child labor. Retrieved
from: https://www.unicef.org/wcaro/WCARO_Nigeria_Factsheets_ChildLabour.pdf
 L. Guarcello. S. Lyon. F. C. Rosati. (2016). Impact of children’s work on school
attendance and performance: a review of school survey evidence from five countries.
Retrieved from: www.ilo.org/ipecinfo/product/download.do?type=document&id=8510

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 Questionnaire

Please give our response by putting a tick () in appropriate box as per scale.

Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

S. Agree Disagree
No
1. Children are going for work because
they want to support their family.
2. Child Labors do not attend school
because no one in their family
supports them.
3. Child Labors are given salaries as per
minimum wages mentioned in law.
4. Children favor working over school
because they cannot afford it.
5. The families of children themselves
do not allow them to go to school.
6. It is the family of child who drags
him into child labor.
7. Children choose to work on their own
will.
8. If children will stop working their
families will suffer more.
9. Do you think schooling is not
valuable for child labors, because
their family income will suffer if they
stop working?
10. Do you think the conditions of a
family gets better when a child starts
earning for the family?
11. Would you prefer to be working or
you are unemployed by choice?
12. Do you feel you have personally been
discriminated against by an
employer, or not?
13. Do you feel you have the skills and
techniques to compete in the current
job market?
14. Do you think child labor decreases
employment opportunities?
15. Have you ever refuse a job that was
offered to you?
16. Is there a minimum level of wage per

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 month below which you would not
accept a job?
17. If child labor is decreased, will
employment opportunities increase
for you?
18. Do you think child labour should be
diminished from the country?
19. Will you report someone who hires
children as employees?
20. Do you think eliminating child labour
will decrease poverty?
Adapted from:

 M. Khairoowala. (2010). Child Labour: A Socio-Legal Study w - Shodhganga.

Retrieved from:
shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/55599/19/19_appendices.pdf
 Raja Mani. (2015). Survey on Unemployment. Retrieved from:
https://www.slideshare.net/usmanalii/questionnaire-on-unemployement

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