When is Child Work Hazardous? Evidence from the SIMPOC Surveys

Sarah Gormly, U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)
Amy Ritualo

In 1999, the International Labor Organization's member countries unanimously adopted Convention 182 that calls for the urgent elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor. The Convention unambiguously identifies three forms to be targeted, namely forced labor, prostitution, and illicit activities. Hazardous work, a fourth and less-defined category is also included, and forms the largest category of the worst forms. ILO guidelines for identifying hazardous child work are phrased in subjective terms. We define and demonstrate a methodology for identifying hazardous forms using objective health measures from three child labor surveys. Each survey uses different questions to measure work and health and has its own benefits and limitations. We explore these and identify important commonalities and discrepancies. We refine current methods of analysis by considering how type of work, gender, age and development affect the risk of occupational injury. We treat household chores as work and consider their hazards separately.