Discussion Paper No. 157 of 2013 on Child Labour and Its Determinants in Kenya

Abstract

Child labour is a major policy concern in Kenya because it has implications that persist over a child’s life cycle and across generations. This study examines the levels of child labour participation across sectors and regions and identifies some of the main determinants of children’s participation in economic activities. It uses data from the 2005/06 Kenya Integrated Household Budget Survey (KIHBS) conducted by Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and used a national representative sample. Child labour was defined and analysed in respect of a child’s age, number of hours worked per week, and school attendance. Child activities were categorized into four main areas, namely schooling only, working and schooling, working only, and neither schooling nor working. The characteristics examined in the study were divided into three main categories, namely child characteristics, household characteristics and community characteristics. The analysis was based on 23,210 children aged 5 to 17 years. The results show that 7.2 per cent of all children are engaged in child labour, with 39 per cent of them combining labour and schooling. Children in rural areas and in Rift Valley and Eastern provinces are more prone to child labour, with the agricultural sector being the highest employer...