Occupational safety and health

Final report: Rapid assessment of hazardous work for children in carpet weaving, painting metal and wooden products, and spraying, mixing or selling insecticides in Balkh Province

This report describes the state of child labour in Balkh, Afghanistan.

The report identifies three specific sectors in which child labour is prevalent: Carpet Weaving, Painting of Metal and Wooden Objects, and Spraying/Mixing/Selling of Insecticides. To gain insight into the challenges children and SMEs face in dealing with child labour, a mixed-methods approach was adopted, which consisted of surveys of households and SMEs, Key Informant Interviews, and Focus Group Discussions. The assessment covered seven districts across Balkh. The assessment identified key risks children face while undertaking work in these three sectors and provided recommendations on best practices for the elimination or—at the very least—mitigation of these risks. The assessment also provided information on which districts have the highest rates of child labour, broken down by sector. The content of this report can be used to plan future policies and establish a baseline for future anti-child labour interventions.