Prevalence and Risk Factors for Child Labour and Violence against Child issues in Egypt using Bayesian Geospatial Modelling with Multiple Imputation

Abstract

BackgroundThe incidence of child labour, especially across the developing nations is of global concern. The use of children in employment in developing economies constitutes a major threat to the societies, and concerted efforts are made by the relevant stakeholders towards addressing some of the factors/issues responsible for the menace. Significant risk factors include socio-demographic and economic factors, including poverty, neglect, lack of adequate care, and exposure of children to various grades of violence, parental education status, gender, place of residence, household size, residences type or size, wealth index, parental survivorship and household size. ObjectivesThis study, therefore, focuses on identifying socio-demographic/economic and geospatial factors associated with child labour participation. MethodsWe utilised 2014 Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) from the Ministry health and Population in Egypt, with the record of 20, 560 never married children aged 5-17years engaging in economic activities, in and out of their home. The data focused on demographic and socio-economic characteristics of household members. Multivariate Bayesian geo-additive models were employed to examine the demographical and socio-economic factors for children working less than 16hrs; between 16 and 45hrs and above 45hrours weekly. ResultsThe results showed that at least 31.6% of the children in the age group from 5-10 were working, 68.5% of children aged 11-17 years engaging in child labour (wage), while 44.7 of the children in the age group from 5-10 were engaged in hazard work. From the multivariate Bayesian geo-additive models, the female children (with male children as reference category) working at least 16hrs (OR: 1.3; with 95% CI: 1.2-1.5) are more likely to be engaged in child labour than those working 16 to 45hours (OR: 1; 95% CI: 0.3-1.5). Children born to women without formal education, under non-hazardous jobs, irrespective of the hours spent at work, were mostly exposed to child labour with following percentages: 52.9%, 56.8%, 62.4%, compared to children of mothers with some levels of education. Finally, children that have experienced psychological aggression and physical punishment are mostly exposed to child labour than those without such experience across the job types and hours spent. ConclusionThis study revealed a significant influence of socio-demographic and economic factors on the children labour and violence against children in Egypt. Poverty neglects, lack of adequate care and exposures of children to various grades of violence are major drivers of child labour across the country. North-eastern region of Egypt has a higher likelihood of child labour than most other regions, while children who live in Delta are more engaged in hazard work.