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The Impact of Minimum Age of Employment Regulation on Child Labor and Schooling: Evidence from UNICEF MICS Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Eric V. Edmonds
  • Maheshwor Shrestha

Abstract

Promoting minimum age of employment regulation has been a centerpiece in child labor policy for the last 15 years. If enforced, minimum age regulation would change the age profile of paid child employment. Using micro-data from 59 mostly low-income countries, we observe that age can explain less than 1 percent of the variation in child participation in paid employment. In contrast, child-invariant household attributes account for 63 percent of the variation in participation in paid employment. While age may explain little of the variation in paid employment, minimum age of employment regulation could simultaneously impact time allocation. We do not observe evidence consistent with enforcement of minimum age regulation in any country examined, although light work regulation appears to have been enforced in one country.

Suggested Citation

  • Eric V. Edmonds & Maheshwor Shrestha, 2012. "The Impact of Minimum Age of Employment Regulation on Child Labor and Schooling: Evidence from UNICEF MICS Countries," NBER Working Papers 18623, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:18623
    Note: CH DEV LS
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Piza, Caio & Souza, André Portela Fernandes de, 2016. "Short and long-term effects of a child-labor ban," Textos para discussão 428, FGV EESP - Escola de Economia de São Paulo, Fundação Getulio Vargas (Brazil).
    2. Cristina Belles-Obrero & Sergi Jiménez-Martín & Judit Vall Castello, 2019. "Education and Gender Differences in Mortality Rates," Working Papers 2019-05, FEDEA.
    3. Eric Edmonds & Maheshwor Shrestha, 2012. "The impact of minimum age of employment regulation on child labor and schooling ," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 1(1), pages 1-28, December.
    4. Anna De Paoli & Mariapia Mendola, 2014. "International Labor Mobility and Child Work in Developing Countries," Development Working Papers 365, Centro Studi Luca d'Agliano, University of Milano, revised 07 Apr 2014.
    5. Eric V. Edmonds, 2014. "Does minimum age of employment regulation reduce child labor?," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 1-73, July.
    6. Lakdawala, Leah K. & Martínez Heredia, Diana & Vera-Cossio, Diego A., 2023. "The Impact of Expanding Worker Rights to Informal Workers Evidence from Child Labor Legislation," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 12705, Inter-American Development Bank.
    7. Dena Aufseeser & Michael Bourdillon & Richard Carothers & Olivia Lecoufle, 2018. "Children's work and children's well†being: Implications for policy," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(2), pages 241-261, March.
    8. Dimova, Ralitza, 2021. "The Political Economy of Child Labor," GLO Discussion Paper Series 816, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    9. Bellés-Obrero, Cristina & Cabrales, Antonio & Jiménez-Martín, Sergi & Vall-Castelló, Judit, 2023. "Women’s education, fertility and children’ health during a gender equalization process: Evidence from a child labor reform in Spain," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    10. Cristina Bellés-Obrero & Sergi Jiménez-Martín & Judit Vall Castello, 2020. "Unintended Health Costs of Gender Equalization," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2020_103v2, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    11. Cristina Bellés-Obrero & Sergi Jiménez-Martín & Judit Vall Castello, 2022. "Minimum working age and the gender mortality gap," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 35(4), pages 1897-1938, October.
    12. Marine JOUVIN, 2021. "Addressing social desirability bias in child labor measurement : an application to cocoa farms in Côte d’Ivoire," Bordeaux Economics Working Papers 2021-08, Bordeaux School of Economics (BSE).
    13. Del Rey, Elena & Jimenez-Martin, Sergi & Vall Castello, Judit, 2018. "Improving educational and labor outcomes through child labor regulation," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 51-66.
    14. Olivier Bargain & Delphine Boutin, 2021. "Minimum Age Regulation and Child Labor: New Evidence from Brazil," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 35(1), pages 234-260.
    15. Meltem Dayıoğlu & Murat Güray Kırdar, 2022. "Keeping Kids in School and Out of Work: Compulsory Schooling and Child Labor in Turkey," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 16(4), pages 526-555.
    16. Anna De Paoli & Mariapia Mendola, 2017. "International Migration and Child labour in Developing Countries," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(4), pages 678-702, April.
    17. Kozhaya, Mireille & Martínez Flores, Fernanda, 2022. "Child Labor Bans, Employment, and School Attendance: Evidence from Changes in the Minimum Working Age," IZA Discussion Papers 15144, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    18. Cristina Belles-Obrero & Sergi Jiménez-Martín & Judit Vall Castello, 2019. "Education and Gender Differences in Mortality Rates," Studies on the Spanish Economy 2019-05, FEDEA.
    19. De Paoli, Anna & Mendola, Mariapia, 2014. "International Labor Mobility and Child Work in Developing Countries," IZA Discussion Papers 8066, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    20. Dagim Dawit Gonsamo & Herman Hay Ming Lo & Ko Ling Chan, 2021. "The Role of Stomach Infrastructures on Children’s Work and Child Labour in Africa: Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-26, August.
    21. Kozhaya, Mireille & Martinez Flores, Fernanda, 2022. "Child labor bans, employment, and school attendance: Evidence from changes in the minimum working age," Ruhr Economic Papers 942, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    22. Collin, Matthew & Talbot, Theodore, 2023. "Are age-of-marriage laws enforced? Evidence from developing countries," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J08 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics Policies
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J80 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Standards - - - General

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