Peer-reviewed article
Unravelling the interlinkages: agency and vulnerability of hazardous child labour in Bangladesh
Mohammed Abdul Baten, Shafiqul Alam, Golam Mostofa ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This ethnographic study examines child labour in hazardous battery-recycling workshops in Bangladesh, exploring how children's agency and vulnerability interact. The research finds that poverty and complex economic factors drive children into hazardous work. The study proposes a middle-ground approach between absolute bans and acceptance, advocating for improved working conditions, enforcement of age-related labour laws, participatory decision-making with children and families, and support measures such as vocational schools and stipends.
Key points
- Child labourers in hazardous battery-recycling workshops in Bangladesh face severe physical and psychological impacts on well-being
- A blanket ban on child labour may be unfeasible in developing countries due to complex economic factors
- The study recommends a middle approach: improving working conditions, enforcing age laws, and revising policies to include children's and families' views
- Support measures proposed include residential vocational schools and stipends for working children
- Hazardous child labour should be treated as child abuse and combated legally, with increased public awareness
Limitations
As an ethnographic study, this research describes patterns and perspectives in specific workshops but does not evaluate the effectiveness of proposed interventions. The study cannot provide quantitative evidence of outcomes or cost-effectiveness of the recommended policies.
Abstract
The prevalence of child labour in Bangladesh is a major concern, exposing children to hazardous working conditions with severe physical and psychological impacts on their well being. This ethnographic study investigates the interplay between the agency and vulnerability of child labourers in hazardous battery-recycling workshops, exploring the social, economic, and cultural factors that contribute to their vulnerability. The research posits that while addressing poverty and socio-economic challenges is essential to combat child labour, a blanket ban on child labour in developing countries might be unfeasible due to complex economic factors. Therefore, the study suggests a middle ground between the ‘absolutist universalist’ and ‘contextualist’ approaches. This approach entails improving working conditions, enforcing age-related labour laws, and revising child labour policies to reflect the needs and views of children and their families. It emphasises participatory decision-making and introduces support measures for children compelled to work, including residential vocational schools and stipends. The study also advocates treating hazardous child labour as child abuse, legally combating it, and increasing public awareness against such practices. Additionally, the paper underscores the necessity of re-evaluating current social policies and thoroughly assessing anti-poverty initiatives to effectively curb child labour.