Child Domestic Labour: The Impact of Child Domestic Work on the Psychosocial Wellbeing of Children from a Human Rights Perspective A Case Study of Lusaka City in Zambia

Abstract

The challenge posed by child domestic labour remains very large in Zambia. Children forced out of school and into labour to help their families to make ends meet are denied schooling opportunities and skills needed for gainful future employment, thereby perpetuating the cycle of poverty in the family. Child labour therefore not only constitutes a serious violation of the rights of the children concerned, but also impacts on social development of Zambians. This study therefore sought to investigate and analyze the impact of child domestic work on children’s psychosocial wellbeing from a human rights perspective. An explorative qualitative single case study design was used. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and document analysis. Child domestics, parents and key informants were purposively sampled for study. Snowball sampling was also applied to locate child domestics in hidden homes. The findings show that child domestics come from poor families and households affected by HIV/AIDS. The children are not satisfied with their jobs because they earn very little money despite the huge tasks that they perform. Further, child domestics are not pleased with their jobs because it deprives them of schooling opportunities and enjoyment of social and family life. Nevertheless, domestic work enables children to find money to pay school fees and continue schooling; a situation that appears difficult to resolve. Child domestic work perpetuates child poverty as it deprives children of schooling opportunities and lifelong skills which they can use to fight poverty along the life course. However, domestic work enables children and their families to earn money to sustain their livelihoods. Inadequate child protection policies pose a challenge to protection of the rights of children from child labour and abuse. The only way children can be protected from exploitative domestic work is to educate and equip them with vocational skills which they can use to fight poverty.