Child Labour in the Brick Industries A Case Study of Bhaktapur District

Abstract

Child labour remains a serious problem in the world today, even it is major challenge for the Nepalese society. Poverty is the main factor of child labour. Brick kiln industry is considered as one of the most hazardous work place especially for children. It is also the most labour intensive industries which absorbs the great amount of child labour in Nepal. This study is to analyze the socio-economic and working condition of the child labours in brick kiln industries of Bhaktapur district. The present study done over a short period of time and only among the children 18 years of age working in the brick kiln industries in Bhaktpaur district. This study has utilized both primary and secondary data and used purposive sampling method. Actually, brick kiln industries are operated is period in October/November to May/June. Almost all those children come from outside the valley, especially Rolpa, Dang, Sindhupalchowk, Sarlahi, Gulmi, Makawanpur, Salyan, Jhapa and India. Majority of child labourers are from Chhetri, Kami, Magar, Gurung, Tamang, Damai, Sahani and Musahar communities. Three fourth of child workers are coming from nuclear family and both their parents alive. Most of the children coming with broker/naike and a significant portion of children coming with relatives. Majority of children 93.5 percent are engaged for less than 6 months, and large number of children 62.0 percent working less than 12 hours per day. Most of all children working in brick kilns are living in temporary hut, and they are deprived of electricity and toilet facility. They face various kinds of injuries/accidents. In addition child workers are suffered from different kind of illness and there is no medical facility only providing minor medicine. The complete elimination of child labour from this sector is a great national challenge for future because children deprive of physical, mental, social and moral development engaging in such an intolerable forms of child labour.