Assessment of Trends in Education and Child Labour in Rural Communities

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The Governance team completed data collection, analysis and the first draft report of a study entitled “Ultra-Poor Boys’ School Access: An Assessment of Trends in Education and Child Labour in Rural Communities”. This study specifically looks at ultra poor children’s access to primary school and the discrepancies which exist between the access patterns of boys and girls. This serves as a qualitative corollary report to the Social Protection team’s study assessing the effects of BRAC’s Ultra Poor Programme on child labour.

The Social Protection teamat BDI conducted an in-depth qualitative study on “The Impacts of BRAC’s Ultra Poor Program on Child Labor” funded by Save the Children UK. While several studies have indicated the success of the program in improving economic and social conditions of beneficiary households, very little is known about the nexus between the program and child labor. This study stems from the assumption that economic and social improvements in household conditions lead to declining rates of child labor; it also seeks to understand the process through which such changes take place, the context in which parents make such decisions for their children and also looks at opportunity costs of child labor. Data collection, analysis and the first draft report were completed in May 2009.

Team Members

Ferdous Jahan, Lead Researcher

Dr Syed Hashemi, Director, BDI

Mamunur Rashid, Research Associate

Omar Faruk, Research Assistant

Yaspia Salema, Research Assistant

Reaz Mehdi, Intern and Fulbright Scholar