Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Benin , Benin, Nigeria.
Soc Work Public Health. 2020 Oct 1;35(8):679-688. doi: 10.1080/19371918.2020.1823928. Epub 2020 Sep 24.
Childhood is a period when the responsibilities of care and sustenance of an individual are born by others. Hence, the child is exonerated from any labor activity, which could be considered detrimental to the child's growth or development. This study examined the phenomenon of child labor and how it impacts on children's physical and health development. The qualitative research approach was adopted in this study. Eight children between the ages of 7 and 14 years who experienced different physical and health issues due to their engagement in child labor were interviewed. Working children described that their lives are endangered due to their vulnerability to harmful objects and to road accidents, given the constant traffic when working on the streets. The study revealed that child labor activities engender headaches, bodily pains, bruises or cuts to their bodies, fractures and diseases that posed serious threats to their health. The developmental impacts as a result of child labor compromise children's well-being, thereby making it difficult for them to enjoy their childhood, particularly in situations where their lives are threatened. The need to advance social work strategies in order to tackle the phenomenon is expedient.
童年是一个个体的责任和生计由他人承担的时期。因此，儿童被免除任何可能对其成长或发育有害的劳动活动。本研究考察了童工现象及其对儿童身体和健康发展的影响。本研究采用了定性研究方法。采访了 8 名 7 至 14 岁的儿童，他们因从事童工而经历了不同的身体和健康问题。务工儿童表示，由于他们在街头工作时经常面临交通，因此他们容易受到有害物体和交通事故的伤害，他们的生命处于危险之中。研究表明，童工活动会导致头痛、身体疼痛、瘀伤或割伤、骨折和疾病，这些对他们的健康构成严重威胁。由于童工，儿童的发展受到影响，这损害了他们的福祉，使他们难以享受童年，尤其是在他们的生命受到威胁的情况下。有必要推进社会工作战略，以解决这一现象。
