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The Demand for Child Labour
Alessandro Cigno, Furio C. Rosati ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5-5The document looks at what drives the demand for child labour, noting that most working children are in family farms or businesses. It says the state of the adult labour market and the structure of a country's production both matter. Cyclical changes in the local adult labour market affect how many children work, with effects that differ by household income, area of residence and age. It argues that as an economy shifts away from child-labour-intensive industries, for example through international trade and moving up the 'value-added ladder', child labour is likely to fall.
Key points
- Most children who work do so in family farms or businesses.
- Cyclical movements in the local adult labour market affect the number of children working.
- Effects differ by household income level, area of residence, and age.
- The presence of relatively child-labour-intensive industries influences how child labour changes over time.
- International trade and moving up the value-added ladder may reduce child labour by making child-intensive industries less important.
Limitations
Only the abstract is available, so the data, methods, countries and size of the effects are not stated. It does not evaluate a specific intervention.
Abstract
Abstract Although the majority of children work in family farms or businesses, both the status of the labour market and the structure of production have a role to play. Cyclical movements in the local adult labour market have an impact on the number of children working. The effects are differentiated by level of household income, area of residence, and age. Also, the presence of relatively child-labour-intensive industries affects the evolution of child labour. As the productive structure of the economy changes, and child intensive industries become less relevant, child labour decreases. An important role in this context can be played by international trade. As the country moves up along the so-called ‘value-added ladder’, relatively child-labour-intensive industries are likely to lose importance, and this will contribute to the reduction of child labour.