Modelling the key determinants of child labour in Somalia
Abstract
Child labour is an effect of many factors that are addressed in the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs). Historically, programmes and policies have not been rolled out to address child
labour owing to the fact that this has not been adequately captured or analysed in national data
and statistics.
The main objective of this study was to investigate the key determinants of child labour in
Somalia. The study focused on children aged between 5 and 14 years using the Somalia 2006
Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) Data. Binary logistic regression was conducted to
analyse the data. The explanatory variables are: child age and gender, parental education, family
size, wealth, regions, and area of residence.
The logistic results show that the child’s age and gender, parent’s education, wealth, regions and
area of residence are important determinants of child labour in Somalia. The findings indicate
that the chance for child to be engaged in work increases with age. The boys had less chance to
work compared to the girls. Wealth has negative influence on the chance for child labour. The
results show that the literacy of father and mother decreases the chance of sending child to work.
The logistic results also found regional disparities in child labour. Children from North West and
North East had lower chance to be engaged in work than children from South central.
Policy interventions focusing on increasing adult literacy and income of households in rural and
urban areas of Somalia have potential to decrease child labour. Targeting of educational
resources allocation to the regions with high child labour rates should be enhanced.
Citation
Master of Science in Social StatisticsPublisher
University of Nairobi