Level and Determinants of Child Labor The Case of Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region

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Date

2011-06

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Addis Abeba university

Abstract

The objectives of this study are to assess the level and differentials of child labor and to find out the main socioeconomic and demographic determinants of child labor in SNNP Region. The source of data used in this study was the 1999 National Labor Force Survey conducted by the Central Statistical Authority (CSA). The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential techniques. Frequency distribution, that is, uni-variate analysis was used to see the percentage share among the background variables. Both the bi-variate test and multi-variate statistical models were also employed to see the association of the independent variable with the dependent and to find out the determinants and differentials of child labor among different socioeconomic and demographic variables. The bi-variate technique using the chi-square test showed a strang associarion between the background variable and the dependent variable. The findings of the multi-variate logistic regression revealed that males were highly exposed to child labor as compared to their female counter parts and children aged J 0-14 years are significantly exposed to child labor than in the age group 5-9. Furthermore, those children who were not auending school are much more expose to child labor than who were attending. Living in the rural areas sholved a relatively higher risk for child labor than living in the urban areas. With respect to the migration status of head children with migrant head has a lower risk than with non-migrant head Furthermore, households headed by Never Married members offhe household and by females greatly push children into child labor. A child who is non-relative to the head is highly exposed to child labor. In addition to this children who lost one of their parems and those who lost both of them are more likely to be a child labor compared to the reference category. Household size is also directly related to child labor. It was also found that the educational status of the household head is inversely related to child labor. Employment status and occupation of the head also became significant. These results were also justified by employing a separate logistic regression model for demographic and socioeconomic variables and almost simili)J' results were obtained. Finally, recommendations for policy measures that should be taken by the government and the society at large were suggested to alleviate child laborer in the Region.

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Nationalities and Peoples

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