Problems with 'Child Labour'

Michael Bourdillon was born in Zambia but spent most of his life in Zimbabwe, where he is currently Professor Emeritus in the Department of Sociology, University of Zimbabwe. He obtained a doctorate in Social Anthropology from Oxford University, and for many years worked primarily in areas of religion and symbolism. In recent years, he has turned his attention to issues of childhood, being involved practically in supporting street children and other working children. Coming out of this work, he collected in 2004 data on child domestic workers that showed how some deprived children benefit from being taken in to work for a wealthier family, while others suffer and are abused in such a situation. He is the author of Girls on the Street (with Rumbidzai Rurevo, 2003).
He is a visiting fellow at the ASC from April until July 2005.

Discussant: Ben White (ISS)

Campaigns to eliminate the exploitation and abuse of children through child labour have been growing in strength in the last decade. Although few would criticise the broad intentions of such campaigns, interventions to eliminat child labour have not always proved to be int the best interests of children. The need for more nuanced intervention is now widely accepted, as is the need for more careful definition and prioritisation of what is to be eliminated. There remain, however, fundamental problems related to the term ‘child labour’ and the various meanings and associations it carries. This paper will point to confusion the term causes, illustrated by recent documents from the ILO and UNICEF. It appeals for precision from academics in analysis and communication, and touches on the relationship between academics and practitioners in humanitarian work.