Complex definitions of child work

1. Complex definitions of child work Children in Developing Countries Renata Serra – Feb. 19th 2007

2. The work of children • The work of children is many things: • Means of subsistence • Play • Basis for social relationships • Basis for constructing identity • Implications: • The distinction between these components is hard to draw • See examples in Invernizzi, p. 42-43 • Difficult to separate work and personal spheres

3. Cultural conceptions of work • Prevailing western conceptions of work imply: • Work is productive • Work can be separated from other human activities • Consensus on what work is • NOTE: intense debate on unpaid work and caring services • However, in many cultural contexts: • Work identified by the income rather than the production • E.g., begging • Work can be pursued for other than mere material services • “Values” of solidarity, identity, autonomy • Work identified by the “effort” spent regardless of results • “What work is” can be highly subjective

4. Childhood and work • Prevailing notions of childhood influence how work is regarded • Western societies: childhood is play and school  work is frowned upon • Developing countries: childhood is learning adult roles and disciplines work is valuable • Work as survival strategy • Focus on the survival role rather than on specific activities (see ex. in Invernizzi, p. 37) • Work as “socialization” • Learning to live in the street, autonomy, personal initiative

5. Work as survival • Family or individual survival • Usefulness of the activity for the client • This may distinguish work from begging • Income • But children may receive a remuneration for their work from parents who retain the income • Effort spent • All these dimensions change with the child’s age, gender, and other characteristics • For ex., children may go in and out selling and begging and there may be a continuum line between the two

6. Work as identity • Both positive and negative aspects may be associated with work • Different implications for child psychology and sense of identity • Identity may be related to both objective and subjective factors • What are the types of work and the work conditions where benefits are greater in terms of child’s psyche and well-being? • What are the contexts where the child is more likely to be abused, maltreated or suffer psychologically?

7. Work as social relationships • Social relationships are the main source for survival in poor societies • Knowing someone up in the socio-economic scale is both a source of pride and avenue for further possibilities • Social relationships may be a double sword • Sense of identity and belonging may increase • Others may be the cause of loss of self-respect • Simply, help from others may undermine the quest for autonomy and independence