Confronting Child Labour in Afghanistan

According to recent estimates, one in four Afghan children aged seven to 14 is engaged in some form of work. This briefing paper explores the issue, drawing on findings from an in-depth, qualitative study of poor households that use child labour, as well as those that do not. The report looks beyond poverty to explore the range of social and cultural factors that affect a household’s decisions regarding child labour, particularly the crucial way in which a household weighs the costs and benefits of work versus school, which leads them to increase or limit their investment in education based on their perceptions of the potential for future returns.