Household surveys to identify child labourers: The SIMPOC experience

IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour Household surveys to identify child labourers: The SIMPOC experience Fast-Track Initiative Partnership Meeting “Road to 2015” Copenhagen, 20 April 2009

IPEC This presentation will ……present the SIMPOC child labour survey programme…emphasize the importance of the recent ICLS Resolution on Child Labour Statistics… introduce SIMPOC instruments…highlight some of the essential schooling indicators in SIMPOC surveys; and….discuss key findings from SIMPOC surveys on the interplay between child labour and education International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour

Global trends in child labour by major age group (million) 246 million 2000 186 59 218 million 2004 166 52 200 250 100 50 150 0 Age groups: 5-14 15-17 IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour

Global trends in hazardous work by major age group (millions) 2000 111 59 170 million 2004 126 million 52 74 200 100 50 150 0 Hazardous Hazardous 5-14 15-17 IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour

Regional trends in the proportion of working children in the age group 5 – 14 years (%) 28.8 30 26.4 19.4 20 18.8 16.1 10 6.8 5.1 5.2 0 Latin America & Caribbean Other regions Asia and the Pacific Sub-Saharan Africa 2004 2000 IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour

IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour

IPEC Proportion of working children in agriculture(Selected countries, ages 5-14; source: SIMPOC) International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour

Established in 1998 Statistical arm of the ILO’s International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) Assists countries in collecting data on extent, characterististics and determinants of child labour Active in more than 60 countries More than 300 surveys to date; 70 national household surveys on child labour IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour Statistical Information and Monitoring Programme on Child Labour SIMPOC

SIMPOC USA NETHER- LANDS CANADA PORTUGAL FRANCE SWEDEN ITALY NORWAY IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour Main donors

IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour SIMPOC Activity Range

Global Survey Coverage of SIMPOC Bahamas Barbados Trinidad and Tobago O n l y C L S u r v e y O n l y R a p i d A s s e s s e n t m O n l y B a s e l i n e S u r v e y C L S u r v e y + R A C L S u r v e y + B S R A + B S C L S u r v e y + R A + B S IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour

IPEC Countries increasingly assess child labour trends International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour

IPEC International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS) 2008 - Resolution on Child Labour Statistics International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour • lays down fundamental concepts and definitions • sets standards for the statistical measurement of child labour • facilitates international comparability • provides guidance on measurement of hazardous work of children ...contd.

IPEC ICLS 2008 Resolution on Child Labour Statistics International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour • elaborates on the statistical challenge of measuring the worst forms of child labour other than hazardous work • indicates how to take unpaid household services into account in the measurement of child labour

IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour Sound child labour data help us… • assess the nature and extent of child labour • set targets and priorities in the fight against child labour • increase public awareness • develop appropriate policies, programmes and legislation

IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour IPEC-SIMPOC Main Child Labour (CL) Data CollectionApproaches .. 1

IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour SIMPOC ‘Model’ Questionnaires (Qs) 2 types of SIMPOC model Qs • Questionnaire for a stand-alone household-based NCLS (in 3 parts) • Parts A and B: respondent is the most knowledgeable adult household member • Part C: addressed to each child (5-17) • Questionnaire for most essential CL questions (for a CL module attached to a national household-based survey, such as a labour force survey)

IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour Main objectives of SIMPOC ‘Model’ Qs • Collect information on: • Key employment variables (industry/occupation; hours of work, etc); and reasons for children engaging in work • Working conditions and potential impact on health, education, and physical/mental development • Unpaid household services • Key household variables such as distribution of household members by age/ sex/ etc. and information of household socio-economic status

IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour Contents of SIMPOC ‘Model’ Q for household-based NCLS .. 1 Part A: Adult questionnaire (mainitems): • household composition and characteristics • educational attainment and school attendance of all household members • current activity status (of all household members) in reference week .. including industry engaged in/ occupation/ status in employment/ location of workplace/ weekly hours of work/ wages & earnings

IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour Contents of SIMPOC ‘Model’ Q for household-based NCLS .. 2 Part A: Adult questionnaire (mainitems): • unemployment and search for work • usual employment status (of all household members) in last 12 months .. (details as for current activity) • unpaid household services (household chores) by major tasks and weekly hours performed

IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour Contents of SIMPOC ‘Model’ Q for household-based NCLS .. 3 Part B: Household characteristics (mainitems): • housing characteristics • migration status • household socio-economic status: • ownership of durable assets • ownership of land and livestock • household monthly earnings & expenditure • household debt, if any

IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour Contents of SIMPOC ‘Model’ Q for household-based NCLS .. 4 Part C: Child questionnaire (mainitems): • educational attainment and school attendance (level/grade completed, current level/grade attending, dropout and repetition, vocational training) • current activity status during reference week (whether engaged in economic activities, location of work place, industry, occupation, main reasons for work, status in employment, weekly hours worked, etc.)

IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour Contents of SIMPOC ‘Model’ Q for household-based NCLS .. 5 Part C: Child questionnaire (mainitems): • earnings and how spent • mode of payment (paid employees only) • hazards and abuse at work place • injury/ illness due to work & treatment • engagement in unpaid household services (major tasks, weekly hours performed, and time of day when performed)

IPEC Questions from SIMPOC Surveys on education of ALL household members … International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour • Can (NAME) read and write a short, simple statement with understanding in any language? • Is (NAME) attending school or pre-school during the current school year? • What is the level of school and grade that (NAME) is attending during the current school year? • Has (NAME) ever attended school?

IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour Questions from SIMPOC Surveys on education of ALL household members ... • What is the highest level of school and grade that (NAME) has attended? • What is/was the main reason why (NAME) has never attended school?

Questions from the SIMPOC child questionnaire on schooling indicators … Can you read, and write a short, simple statement with understanding in any language? Are you attending school or pre-school during the current school year? What is the level of school and grade that you are currently attending? At what age did you begin primary school? Did you miss any school during the past seven days? How many school days did you miss during the past seven days? IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour

Questions from the SIMPOC child questionnaire on schooling indicators ... Why did you miss school day(s) during the past seven days? Have you ever attended school? Why have you never attended school? What is the highest level and grade of school you have attended? At what age did you begin primary school? At what age did you leave school? Why did you leave school? IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour

IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour Child labour and school attendance

IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour Effect of work intensity on school attendance rates

IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour Educational cycle of working children

www.ilo.org/childlabour IPEC International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour

Household surveys to identify child labourers: The SIMPOC experience