Volume 30 - Article 4 | Pages 111–150  

Health consequences of child labour in Bangladesh

By Salma Ahmad, Ranjan Ray

Abstract

Background: The paper examines the effect of child labour on child health outcomes in Bangladesh, advancing the methodologies and the results of papers published in different journals.

Objective: We examine the effect of child labour on child health outcomes.

Methods: We used Bangladesh National Child Labour Survey data for 2002-2003 for our analysis.

Results: The main finding of the paper suggests that child labour is positively and significantly associated with the probability of being injured or becoming ill. Intensity of injury or illness is significantly higher in construction and manufacturing sectors than in other sectors. Health disadvantages for different age groups are not essentially parallel.

Conclusions: The results obtained in this paper strengthen the need for stronger enforcement of laws that regulate child labour, especially given its adverse consequences on health. Although the paper focuses on Bangladesh, much of the evidence presented has implications that are relevant to policymakers in other developing countries.

Author’s Affiliation

• Salma Ahmad - Deakin University, Australia EMAIL
• Ranjan Ray - Monash University, Australia EMAIL

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