Child Labour Condition in Hotel, Restaurant and Tea Shop (A Case Study of Lagankhel, Lalitpur Sub Metropolitan City, Lalitpur, Nepal)

Abstract

The existence of child labor is not a new phenomenon. Children are found to be engaged in almost all the sectors of employment. In Nepal, poverty,illiteracy, ill-health and unemployment are the prevailing factors which are affecting each and every sector of human life. The economics of human development suggest that human factor is the main factor of the development and investment in children as a principal means of breaking out poverty syndrome. Only the healthy upbringing of the children can safeguard the healthy development of the country. Therefore, child should be protected from all forms of social, economic and cultural exploitation and discrimination. But millions of children are forced to join labor force due to poverty, illiterate natural calamities etc. This study is based on child laborers employed in hotels, restaurants and tea shops in Lagankhel Lalitpur Sub Metropolitan City. The objectives of the study are, to study socio-economic condition, to identify the root causes of child labor and to examine the present working condition. Both primary and secondary data and various research techniques have been used. Both the quantitative and qualitative information have been collected from the field survey, 50 child laborers under the age of 16 years were interviewed on the basis of random sampling techniques. There were 35 boys and 15 girls. The laborers are found to have come from 10 different districts of Nepal. Out of 50 respondents child laborers, 70 percent are boys and 30 percent are girls.Majority of child laborer (56%)have their both parents alive. Main occupation of 58 percent respondent is agriculture, 26 percent are domestic service for their survival. Most of the child laborers used to do farming at home before leaving for child labor. All of the child laborers have their own house. In education status, 34 percent children are illiterate and 60 percent are literate.Out of the literate children 63.64 percent have attend primary level V of education. The major reason found not joining or dropping out from schoolis the poverty. Most of the respondents reported that they are interested to study in future, if somebody helps them. Majority of the child laborers 78% have insufficient land to feed their family.Majority of the child laborers 64% left home due to family poverty. Child laborers involved in hotels, restaurants and tea shops are found working for along hour of day. They are compelled to do all kinds of work such as cooking,cleaning tables/floors, washing plates and glasses, servicing. 74 percent child laborers do not get off time. A considerable proportion of child laborers 34%came to the city with their relatives, 18 percent parent, also 30 percent with middleman and 12 percent came self desire. 42 Percent of children expressed their satisfaction with their present working life and 58 percent child laborers expressed they aren't satisfied with current job because of hard work, low wage and not good employer. They are working still because of poverty, not getting other proper job. All of the children engaged in this sector, get low wages but also get free food and lodging facilities. Almost of the child laborers worked at hotels, restaurants and tea shops for financial support to their family. 22.86 percent of child laborers were not suffering from any kind of disease. 77.14 percent children suffered from headache, fever and cough. At that time most of them are helped by the employer and some of them help by their friends. All of the child laborers want to convey the message, “Don’t work like us”.