Child Labor in the Developing World: Theory, Practice and Policy

This book provides new evidence of the theoretical and empirical causes and consequences of child labor. In so doing, the chapters provide a unique set of policy prescriptions that are applicable to both the developing countries that make up the case studies of the volume, as well as other countries more broadly. The volume is constructed to inform policy with rigorous analysis. However, unlike most academic studies, the language and flavour of the volume is largely non-technical, while the policy recommendations are practical.

The volume is made up of three sections. The first section builds on the existing literature and provides new theoretical insights into child labor. Section 2 provides empirical evidence from both quantitative and qualitative case studies on child labor from across Asia, Africa and Latin America. This section provides information from studies conducted in Brazil, Cameroon, the Dominican Republic, India and Vietnam. Section 3provides policy recommendations.

Alberto Posso is a Professor of Economics and Director at the Centre for International Development Research in the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Australia. Professor Posso holds a PhD in Economics from the Australian National University (ANU) with specialisations in labor economics, economic development, international trade and applied econometrics. Geographically, his research focuses on East Asia, Latin America and the Pacific. Professor Posso has over 40 peer-reviewed publications, which include papers in leading outlets for Development Studies such as World Development, The Journal of Development Studies and The Review of Development Economics. Professor Posso’s most recent research work focuses on child labor, its causes and consequences. He has worked on the adult-wage effects of child labor in Ecuador, the health consequences of child labor in Peru, the psychological costs of child labor in India, as well as the relationship between environmental shocks and child labor in Vietnam. His work on child wellbeing, more generally, has been funded by major international organizations including Oxfam, Plan International, and UNESCAP.