Child labor and health : quantifying the global health impacts of child labor

Abstract

Child labor remains one of the most evocative and controversial challenges facing the world at the end of the twentieth century. Yet, data on the extent of child labor and the associated burden of injury and disability are often of poor quality. Definition issues, resource constraints, and attempts to hide illegal child labor contribute to data limitations. Using data derived from the Global Burden of Diseases Study (GBDS), child occupational mortality rates by GBDS region are comparable with adult mortality rates. Although data on the economic aspects of child occupational injury are unavailable, using either the human capital or willingness to pay calculations, estimates can be made. Interventions to reduce the societal and economic impact of child labor can be directed at either reducing the supply and demand for child labor or by maximizing the best possible health outcomes for children. To properly address the global problems of child labor, an aggressive research agenda needs to be undertaken and directed towards improving the quality of the data, improving monitoring and surveillance, understanding the implications of the changing nature of work, understanding social and institutional issues, and identifying innovative intervention solutions.

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