Agricultural child labor and related hazards in a village in Assiut, upper Egypt, 2004

ABSTRACT

Child labor is a pervasive problem throughout the world, especially in developing countries. Child labor is simply the single most important source of child exploitation and child abuse in the world today. The vast majority of child laborers around the world- 70 percent or some 170 million- are working in agriculture. To describe agricultural child labor profile in Ezzawya village, Assiut, Upper Egypt. A cross-sectional study included all working children with four agricultural contractors in the village. They constituted a total of 250 children. Their ages ranged between six and eighteen years. Data were collected via personal interview in the farms, using structured questionnaire which included socioeconomic and demographic data, some work- related data, and health hazards, as well as schooling problems. The mean age [ +/- SD] of the child laborers was 12.6 years [ +/- 2.2], and the majority of them were girls [69.2%]. They started to work in agriculture at a very young age [mean age 8.9 +/- 1.8 years]. They used to work about 10-12 hours per day, mostly on seasonal basis [74.4%]. About half of children [51.2%] reported exposure to work-related health hazards. The most frequently encountered health hazard was sun stroke, followed by wounds, pesticide exposure, bilharziasis, and food poisoning. 44.4% of child laborers were illiterate and 5.6% of them dropped-out after enrollment in the school programs. Child agricultural workers are the objects of extreme exploitation in terms of toiling for long hours for minimal pay. Their work conditions are so severe; often violate their rights to health, education, and protection from work that is hazardous and exploitative