Child labour in cocoa growing regions of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire: an analysis of academic attainment in children engaged in hazardous labour

Lucy Pirkle ¹, Cathy Zimmerman ², Santadarshan Sadhu ³

⁰Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.

Global Public Health +

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February 23, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Hazardous child labour in cocoa farming increases the risk of repeating a class and work-related injuries. These injuries mediate the negative impact of hazardous work on educational attainment for children in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire.

Area Of Science

Child Development
Agricultural Economics
Educational Psychology

Background

Child labour in cocoa production is a significant concern in West Africa.
Distinguishing between harmful and non-harmful child labour is crucial for targeted interventions.
Previous research has not fully elucidated the mediating role of injury in the child labour-education nexus.

Purpose Of The Study

To examine the relationship between hazardous child labour and educational attainment in cocoa-growing regions.
To investigate the mediating role of work-related injuries in this relationship.
To differentiate the impact of harmful versus non-harmful agricultural work on schooling.

Main Methods

Secondary data analysis of 3,338 children attending school in 2018 in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire.
Categorization of child labour into hazardous and non-hazardous agricultural activities.
Statistical modeling and mediation analysis to assess the impact of labour type and injury on repeating a class.

Main Results

Hazardous child labour is significantly associated with increased odds of repeating a class and experiencing work-related injuries.
Work-related injuries mediate approximately 14% of the effect of hazardous child labour on academic attainment.
The negative impact on education is linked to hazardous activities and injury, not merely participation in agricultural labour.

Conclusions

Interventions must focus on identifying and mitigating hazardous child labour to protect educational outcomes.
Addressing work-related injuries is a key pathway to improving educational attainment for children in cocoa farming.
Findings inform global policy debates on child labour, emphasizing the risks associated with harmful work environments.

Keywords:

Educational attainment harmful child labour hazardous child labour non-harmful child labour work-related injury