Exclusion from Right to Education in the Context of Child Labour: A Comparative Study of Working Children in Kathmandu City

Abstract

Today’s children are the pillars of tomorrow. All round development of child is most important for the development of human resources of the country. The migration of children to urban areas has been tremendously increasing these days and this has led to the increase of child labour in the urban areas. This study is based on the hundred and five child labourers working in Kathmandu city as ragpickers, porters and workers of carpet factory. Child labourers of study area are selected by purposive method- a non probability sampling method. This study combines both quantitative and qualitative data and it is aimed at obtaining in depth knowledge of a given phenomenon within only one month.The specific objectives of this study is to identify dependent, independent and intermediate variables that leads in work, to examine the socio- economic background and perceptions of interviewed children towards education and work. Child labour refers to the work done by children which interferes their physical, social, and mental development through which deprived from childhood, potentiality and dignity. Most of the sampled children of this study are supplied from the neighboring districts of Kathmandu Valley. A disproportionate number of ragpickers and carpet workers are from the Tamang group. But majority of male porters are from dalit groups. There are more boys in ragpicking and porttering butsituation is reverse in carpet factories. Most of the children are between 10 to18 years of age group. Majority of child labourer are from single family and unmarried. Among the selected areas in this study more married children are in carpet factory. 5 More children are migrated from poor, rural and landless homes. Many of themare illiterate they have single parents or step parents at their homes. Majority ofchildren are influenced through friends. Education is an ornament in prosperity and refugee in adversity. Education makes people able to differentiate what is right and wrong. But only, 68.8percent male and 78.0 percent female are literate. Among the selected labourersmore illiterate children are found in ragpicking. iv More children have land in village but insufficient for their family subsistence.Out of the selected area, porters are highly landless. They didn't like to go school, mistreatment of parents whether their biological or step parents,difficult livelihood in village, influence through friends, to see urban life, to earn money for the family subsistence or their own pocket money are the pushand pull factors for migration and to leave the origin place. Most of the children said that, poverty is the main reasons for leaving home and drop out the school. They are interested to go school if the financial support will be available. Similarly, parents are positive towards children’s education but compelled to send into labour market they did not afford the schooling charge. 6