Why do Indian Children Work, and is it Bad for Them?

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Why do Indian Children Work, and is it Bad for Them?

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Cigno, Alessandro () (University of Florence and IZA, Bonn)
Rosati, Furio C. (University of Rome)

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Abstract

The causes and consequences of child labour are examined theoretically and empirically within a household decision framework, with endogenous fertility and mortality. The data come from a nationally representative survey of Indian rural households. The complex interactions uncovered by the analysis suggest that mere prohibition of child labour, or the imposition of school attendance, could make things worse, and would be difficult to enforce. Beneficially reducing child labour requires changing the economic environment to which the work of the children constitutes, in the great majority of the cases, the rational response. Suitable policies include reductions in the cost of attending school, and public health improvements. The effects of these policies go far beyond direct impacts. Health policies have favourable indirect repercussions on the school attendance, demand for educational material, and labour participation of children. Educational policies have favourable indirect repercussions on the nutritional status of children. Both types of policies discourage fertility. Income re-distribution may be helpful, but land re-distribution could be counterproductive

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Paper provided by Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its series IZA Discussion Papers with number 115.

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Length: 24 pages
Date of creation: Feb 2000
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp115

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Production
J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
O15 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

NEP-ALL-2000-02-28 (All new papers)
NEP-DEV-2000-02-28 (Development)
NEP-LAB-2000-02-28 (Labour Economics)

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Uma S. Kambhampati & Raji Rajan, 2004. "The 'Nowhere' Children: Patriarchy and the Role of Girls in India's Rural Economy," Economics & Management Discussion Papers em-dp2004-21, School of Business, Reading University. [Downloadable!]
Nielsen, Helena Skyt & Dubey, Amaresh, 2001. "Child Labor: A Microeconomic Perspective," Working Papers 01-10, University of Aarhus, Aarhus School of Business, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Nielsen, H.S. & Dubey, A., 2001. "Child Labor: A Microeconomic Perspective," Papers 01-10, Aarhus School of Business - Department of Economics.
Drusilla K. Brown & Alan V. Deardorff & Robert M Stern, 2002. "The Effects of Multinational Production on Wages and Working Conditions in Developing Countries," Working Papers 486, Research Seminar in International Economics, University of Michigan. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Drusilla K. Brown & Alan V. Deardorff & Robert M Stern, 2002. "The Effects of Multinational Production on Wages and Working Conditions in Developing Countries," Working Papers 483, Research Seminar in International Economics, University of Michigan. [Downloadable!]
- Drusilla K. Brown & Alan V. Deardorff & Robert M. Stern, 2003. "The Effects of Multinational Production on Wages and Working Conditions in Developing Countries," NBER Working Papers 9669, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Sandro Maffei & Nikolai Raabe & Heinrich Ursprung, 2004. "Political Repression and Child Labor: Theory and Empirical Evidence," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo GmbH. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Sandro Maffei & Nicole Raabe & Heinrich Ursprung, 2004. "Political Repression and Child Labor: Theory and Empirical Evidence," Working Papers of the Research Group Heterogenous Labor 04-19, Research Group Heterogeneous Labor, University of Konstanz/ZEW Mannheim. [Downloadable!]
- Alessandro Maffei & Nikolai Raabe & Heinrich W. Ursprung, 2006. "Political Repression and Child Labour: Theory and Empirical Evidence," The World Economy, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 29(2), pages 211-239, 02. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Ranjan Ray, 2001. "Simultaneous Analysis of Child Labour and Child Schooling: Comparative Evidence from Nepal and Pakistan," ASARC Working Papers 2001-10, Australian National University, Australia South Asia Research Centre. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Ray, R., 2001. "Simultaneous Analysis of Child Labour and Child Schooling: Comparative Evidence from Nepal and Pakistan," Papers 2001-04, Tasmania - Department of Economics.
Giorgio Bellettini & Carlotta Berti Ceroni & Gianmarco I.P. Ottaviano, 2003. "Child Labor and Resistance to Change," Working Papers 2003.79, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- G. Bellettini & C. Berti Ceroni & G. Ottaviano, 2003. "Child Labor and Resistance to Change," Working Papers 474, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Università di Bologna. [Downloadable!]
- Giorgio Bellettini & Carlotta Berti Ceroni & Gianmarco I. P. Ottaviano, 2005. "Child Labour and Resistance to Change," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 72(3), pages 397-411, 08. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Dohmen, Thomas J., 2000. "Housing, Mobility and Unemployment," IZA Discussion Papers 210, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Dohmen, Thomas J., 2005. "Housing, mobility and unemployment," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 305-325, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Shankha Chakraborty & Mausumi Das, 2003. "Mortality, Fertility and Child Labor," University of Oregon Economics Department Working Papers 2003-35, University of Oregon Economics Department, revised 01 Dec 2003. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Chakraborty, Shankha & Das, Mausumi, 2005. "Mortality, fertility, and child labor," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 86(2), pages 273-278, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Ranjan Ray, 2001. "Child Labour and Child Schooling in South Asia: A Cross Country Study of their Determinants," ASARC Working Papers 2001-09, Australian National University, Australia South Asia Research Centre. [Downloadable!]

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