Socio-Economic Status of Domestic Child Workers: [A Case Study of Domestic Child Workers Students of Nava Yug Secondary School of Jyabahal]

Abstract

The existence of child labours is not a new phenomenon. Children are found to engage in almost all the sectors of employment. In Nepal, poverty, illiteracy and unemployment are the prevailing characteristics which are affecting each and every sector of human life. This study is based on socio-economic status of schooling domestic child workers read in Nava Yug Secondary School of Jyabahal worked in Kathmandu. The objectives of the study are; to assess economic status of schooling domestic child workers family, to assess the root causes of domestic child workers, to examine present working condition of the domestic child workers and to make relevant recommendations. 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, 30 domestic child workers under the age of 16 were interviewed on the basis of random sampling techniques. The DCWS are found from periphery districts of Kathmandu. DCWs in their respective age and sex selected with more boys than girls. Out of 30 respondents 60 percents are boys and 40 percent are girls. Majority of DCWs (53.33%) have their both parents together in the family. Main occupation of 56.67 percents of the total respondent's family is agriculture, 33.33 percents of the total respondents work daily labour wages service for their survival. All of the domestic child workers have their house. In education status, all the respondents are schooling, among them 12 are reading in primary level, 13 are in lower secondary level and 5 are reading in secondary level. Majority of the DCWs (90 %) have insufficient land to feed their family. Majority of the domestic child workers (90%) left home due to family poverty. As remuneration, 23.33 percents of the total respondents are paid only Rs 200 permonth, 30 percents of the total respondents are paid only Rs 400, 36.67 percents v are paid Rs 600 and only 10 percents of the total respondents are paid Rs 800.They are compelled to do all kinds of work such as cooking, cleaning tables/floors, washing plates/ clothes, etc. 26.67% of the total respondents have to do up to 3 hours per day, 30 percents have to do up to 5 hours and 43 percents of the total respondents have to do over 5 hours/day. Only 13.33%respondents get 3 hours per day for reading and rest 86.67 % respondents get only 2 hours/day. 20% of the total respondents get different food from their owner, 63% of the total respondents don't know about the Child Labour Act. Majority of the respondents are not satisfied on their work. 533% want to leave the work any time, 26.67 %want to leave after SLC and only 20% respondents don't like to leave their work.The position of DCWs in the classroom is found poor.