This report presents an analysis of the demographic and economic characteristics of the working children and the perception of their parents regarding their work. It also presents the analysis on the magnitude and characteristics of children working away from home. This report also includes a brief description of the objectives, organization of the survey and the sampling design and estimation procedures used.
The survey covers in 15 regions. A total of 18,191 households out of 25,491 sample households are found to have members aged 5-17 years. Out of the total number of households, 18,001 have been included in the survey sample.
A total of 44,738 children aged 5-17 are identified in the households interviewed. Of these 6,728 or 15.04 percent are found working. Out of this number, 6,621 children have been successfully interviewed.
Around 2.7 million or 75 percent of the total number of working children are engaged in agricultural and related work. Children aged 15-17 are more likely to work in the production and related processes, in transport and as equipment operator and labourer than in trading. Children at the NCR mostly work as sales (41.5 percent) and service workers (36.4 percent).
Most children work during work season (e.g. planting season) or school vacation (44.7 percent). They are unpaid family workers. Most children aged 5-9 and 10-14 work in the farm or on a short-term casual/basis (35.5 percent) or permanent (28.5 percent) basis, and for different employers on a day-to-day or week-to-week basis (4.3 percent). Children aged 15-17 mostly work on a short term or casual basis (37.0 percent).
Majority of children in both 10-14 and 15-17 age groups give part of their earnings to their families. This is true for both boys and girls. Some save part of their earnings mainly to eventually become economically independent from their families.
