Abuse of working children and influencing factors, Turkey

Key Informant Views of the Determinants of Child Labour Maltreatment

(1) Background: The maltreatment of child labourers is a major public health concern. There is a dearth of research in Bangladesh on the intentional maltreatment of child labourers. This study explored the risk factors for the maltreatment of child labourers in rural Bangladesh based on the knowledge and understanding of experts; (2) Methods: Seventeen interviews were conducted with experts who were sampled using a purposeful approach. A thematic analysis was performed to analyse data using NVivo; (3) Results: Child labourers were exposed to maltreatment due to their demographic, their young age, dropping out of school, health complications, and excessive dependency on employers. Socio-cultural adversities such as corporal punishment practices, social stratification, and family disorganization pose risks of experiencing maltreatment. Economic poverty is also a factor. Child labourers were found to be victimized if they worked in violence prone sectors. Significantly, the unregulated market structure and the lack of monitoring has also led to the exploitation of children in the workplace. Gaps in public policies were also identified as risk factor for the maltreatment of child labourers; (4) Conclusion: There is a need for adequate evidence-based research on the determinants of the maltreatment of child labourers to formulate adequate policy.

Child maltreatment and psycho-social impairments among child laborers in rural Bangladesh

PURPOSE

The current study focused on exploring the impact of maltreatment of child laborers on their psychosocial health condition from the views of their parents.

METHODS

A total of 100 parents of child laborers were recruited using snowball sampling. The structured questionnaire comprised two validated scales including ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool (ICAST-P), and Paediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) were used for the survey. Factor analysis and multivariable linear regression analysis were performed to examine the data using SPSS version 26, and Stata version 16.1.

RESULTS

A three-factor model consisting of internalizing, externalizing, and attention associated psycho-social impairments of child laborers were derived from the 35-item scale of PSC tool and represented a good fit to the data. A mean estimate of maltreatment indicates that a majority of child laborers are maltreated psychologically, followed by physical maltreatment and neglect. The factor analysis resulted that maltreated child laborers are highly prone to exhibit internalized psycho-social difficulties, followed by externalized and attention-associated emotional and behavioral difficulties among child laborers. The regression model further depicts that child laborers, who had been physically and psychologically maltreated, are significantly more likely to be affected by internalized and attention-related psycho-social impairments.

CONCLUSIONS

The study concluded that victimized child laborers exhibited significant internalized, as well as attention-related problems. These findings may be useful for future studies that examine emotional and behavioral problems among maltreated child laborers and, therefore, for developing prevention strategies.

Maltreatment of child labourers in Bangladesh: Prevalence and characteristics of perpetrators

Background

Child labourers are highly prone to maltreatment mostly perpetrated by members of their immediate family as well as employers and co-workers. This maltreatment is considered to be a serious public health issue. However, little is known about this form of violence.

Purpose

This study aimed to explore the views of key informants on the prevalence and attributes of perpetrators of the maltreatment of child labourers in Bangladesh.

Methods

The key experts were paediatricians, journalists, academics, and government bureaucrats such as policy makers and Non-Government Organisation employees working in the area of child abuse or labour relations. Interviews were purposefully conducted via TEAMS with 17 expert participants. A thematic analysis using NVivo was used to analyse the data.

Results

The key informants were of the opinion that the prevalence of the maltreatment of child labourers was unknown. However, they were of the view that physical maltreatment of child labourers occurred between 70% and 100% of the time, while emotional abuse and neglect was estimated to be 100% followed by 50% for financial exploitation. Child maltreatment is more likely to occur in informal workplace environments. Biological and foster parents were considered the primary perpetrators, while employers and adult co-workers were considered secondary perpetrators. Perpetrators of child labour maltreatment were often characterized as having a history of childhood maltreatment themselves, a lack of knowledge of social awareness and parenting, and suffer from economic difficulties.

Conclusion

The finding also calls into question the validity of key informant interviewing. Only the journalists, academics and medical experts had first-hand knowledge of the maltreatment of child labourers with experts in the NGO sector and government policy makers lacking detailed knowledge of the field.

The Epidemiology of Young People's Work and Experiences of Violence in Nine Countries: Evidence from the Violence against Children Surveys

Globally, 497 million young people (15-24 years) are in the labour force. The current research on work and violence indicates reciprocal links across the life course. This study draws on data from 35,723 young people aged 13-24 years in the Violence Against Children Surveys (VACS) in nine countries to describe the epidemiology of work in order to explore associations between (1) current work and violence and (2) childhood violence and work in a hazardous site in young adulthood. The prevalence of past-year work among 13-24-year-olds was highest in Malawi: 82.4% among young men and 79.7% among young women. In most countries, young women were more likely to be working in family or domestic dwellings (range: 23.5-60.6%) compared to men (range: 8.0-39.0%), while men were more likely to be working on a farm. Work in a hazardous site was higher among young men compared to women in every country. Among children aged 13-17 years, we found significant positive associations between past-year work and violence among girls in three countries (aORs between 2.14 and 3.07) and boys in five countries (aORs 1.52 to 3.06). Among young people aged 18-24 years, we found significant positive associations among young women in five countries (aORs 1.46 to 2.61) and among young men in one country (aOR 2.62). Associations between childhood violence and past-year work in a hazardous site among 18-24-year-olds were significant in one country among girls and in three countries among boys. Continued efforts are needed to prevent hazardous work, improve work environments, and integrate violence prevention efforts into workplaces.

Comparison of adverse childhood experiences of working and nonworking adolescents

BACKGROUND

Although adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in adolescents are partially presented at the national level, few studies of ACEs in working adolescents by comparing them with those who are not working that provide an opportunity for international comparison have been conducted.

OBJECTIVE

This study was aimed to compare the ACEs of working and nonworking adolescents.

METHODS

This study was conducted in Turkey with 213 working adolescents enrolled in the vocational training center and 457 nonworking adolescents enrolled in high schools between the ages of 15 and 18.

RESULTS

As a result of the study, the prevalence and incidence of psychological and physical ACEs and neglect in nonworking adolescents were found to be higher than the prevalence and incidence in working adolescents.

CONCLUSIONS

Research should be conducted to define the awareness of neglect and abuse among working and nonworking adolescents and to explain the reasons why nonworking adolescents experience more ACEs.

A contextual policy analysis of a cash programme in a humanitarian setting: the case of the Emergency Social Safety Net in Turkey

The Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) programme, which was launched in 2016, has become the central element of the humanitarian response to the plight of Syrian refugees in Turkey and an instrument of European migration control policies. This paper offers a contextual analysis of this European Union-funded cash assistance scheme by examining the modes of interaction between its major assumptions and the broader humanitarian response in the context of Turkey. It finds that the ESSN comes with compromises on humanitarian principles and standards, amplifies the protection and assistance divide, and fails to address the realities of Turkey with respect to the country's housing and labour markets and weak protection framework. The paper concludes that a more inclusive approach to eligibility and higher transfer payments can contribute to the addressing of assistance needs provided that cash support is combined with robust protection programming and the implementation of sector-specific projects and policies.

The prevalence and impact of maltreatment of child laborers in the context of four South Asian countries: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Child maltreatment is a global health concern, which adversely affects millions of children. Among them, child laborers are highly susceptible to maltreatment due to their economic vulnerability and workplace practices.

OBJECTIVES

This review seeks to identify the extent, risk factors and psychological impairments associated with the maltreatment of child laborers in four South East Asian countries.

METHODS

A scoping review was adopted, in accordance with the PRISMA framework. Scopus, Medline, PsycINFO, ProQuest, Web of Sciences, and grey literature from relevant institutional websites were searched. Search date parameters were 1960-2020. A thematic synthesis and a proportion test were adopted to analyse data.

RESULTS

A total of 9 studies were retrieved. The physical maltreatment against child laborers (15.14 %) was found across all studies with high heterogeneity (from 2.3%-73.27%). The prevalence of emotional maltreatment was more than three times that of physical abuse. Sexual abuse rate was measured (16.82 %) followed by neglect against child laborers (12.9 %). Witness victimization, financial exploitation, forced work, and work intensification were also observed as notable forms of maltreatment. A thematic analysis suggests that the victims and caregivers' characteristics and socio-cultural practices are strong predictors of maltreatment. Parental dysfunctions were also associated with rates of child labor victimization followed by poverty. The review found maltreated children were often traumatized and manifest specific phobias (38.79 %), social phobias (30.2 %), conduct disorders (20.6 %), and obsessions (18.21 %), which are significantly associated (p < 0.05) across studies.

CONCLUSIONS

While the methodical study base is limited, the results of this review can inform further research on violence against child laborers.

Child labor in Tehran, Iran: Abuses experienced in work environments

BACKGROUND

Child labor is exploitative and harmful and deprives children of opportunities for a healthy life. Nonetheless, child labor is prevalent worldwide. Abusive working conditions are common, especially in developing countries.

OBJECTIVE

This study was designed both to measure the prevalence of abuse in work environments and to identify possible risk and protective factors for such abuse in child laborers in Tehran, Iran.

METHOD

The researchers conducted this cross-sectional study from September 2018 to May 2019 in Tehran and recruited 250 children from seven child labor support centers.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated a relatively high rate of abuses experienced in work environments among Iranian child laborers: 77.6 % of children experienced at least one type of abuse, with emotional abuse (70.4 %) as the most frequently experienced abuse followed by neglect (52 %), physical abuse (5.8 %), and sexual abuse (3.6 %). Furthermore, living alone or with a single parent (OR = 3.15, CI 95 %: 1.33-7.45) was a risk factor, while working in home jobs (OR = 2.08, CI 95 %: 1.19-3.63), being male (OR = 0.19, CI 95 %: 0.06-0.55), and being older (OR = 0.32, CI 95 %: 0.17-0.60) were the protective factors of abuses experienced at work among child laborers.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study have implications for designing and implementing early interventions to provide less harmful work environments for child laborers. Further, advocacy efforts to prevent and eliminate child labor should be pursued.

Children's exposure to psychological abuse and neglect: A population-based study in rural Bangladesh

AIM

We aimed to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of child psychological abuse and neglect in a rural area of Bangladesh.

METHODS

Data were obtained from interviewing 1416 children aged 11-17 years administering the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect Child Abuse Screening Tool for Children between March and April 2017. Linear regression analysis was used to estimate the risks of child psychological abuse and neglect.

RESULTS

The prevalence rates of at least one form of psychological abuse both in the past year and lifetime were more than 97 per cent. Moreover, the rates of at least one form of neglect were about 58 per cent during the past year and 78 per cent over lifetime. Living separately from parents posed children to significant risks of neglect and psychological abuse. Working children and greater number of siblings in a family were risk factors for neglect, whereas witnessing family violence and being bullied were risk factors for psychological abuse. Children with more years of schooling experienced less neglect and psychological abuse.

CONCLUSION

The high prevalence of child psychological abuse and neglect in this study shows child maltreatment as an ignored issue in Bangladesh.

Child labor and health: a systematic literature review of the impacts of child labor on child's health in low- and middle-income countries

Objective

To summarize current evidence on the impacts of child labor on physical and mental health.

Methods

We searched PubMed and ScienceDirect for studies that included participants aged 18 years or less, conducted in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and reported quantitative data. Two independent reviewers conducted data extraction and assessment of study quality.

Results

A total of 25 studies were identified, the majority of which were cross-sectional. Child labor was found to be associated with a number of adverse health outcomes, including but not limited to poor growth, malnutrition, higher incidence of infectious and system-specific diseases, behavioral and emotional disorders, and decreased coping efficacy. Quality of included studies was rated as fair to good.

Conclusion and recommendations

Child labor remains a major public health concern in LMICs, being associated with adverse physical and mental health outcomes. Current efforts against child labor need to be revisited, at least in LMICs. Further studies following a longitudinal design, and using common methods to assess the health impact of child labor in different country contexts would inform policy making.