Abstract

According to Nepal’s Child Act 2075 (2018), child labor means the employment in physical or mental work of children below 18 years of age. Child labor is not only a violation of human rights but also a social crime and a curse of civilization. Child labor not only violates the fundamental rights of children; it also pushes their future into darkness.Child labor deprives children of the education they need to make their future better. Because of child labor, children lose the knowledge, training and skills they gain through education.Children working as child laborers are generally from uneducated,and poor families.Child labor is a common phenomenon in the country and is also considered a part of the socialization process (CBS 2011a). It is deeply rooted in the society with little concerns about its deleterious effects on children’s schooling and future productivity.Whatever the cause, child labor compounds social inequality and discrimination, and robs youths of their childhood. Despite activities that help children develop, such as contributing to small housework, child labor limits access to education and harms a child’s physical, mental and social growth. In December 2021, the members of the Bhusaldada Child club discusses on “pressing social issues of young people”. One of the child club member shared that he has to go to work at one of the construction sites in Palpa district everyda yto earn living expense. The child club members decided to explore more on the issue, and they found that for some ethnic groups, children constitute an integral part of the family workforce in Palpa district. The child club members also found that due to lack of education and social awareness, Dalit and indigenous groups have a higher tendency to send their children for work instead of school.The child club members of Bhusaldanda secondary school further analysed the child labor issue through ‘conflict tree’. The designed and implemented a photo-collage small grant project as part of MAP Nepal Phase II Small Grant. This policy brief summarizes recommendations and issues identified by the child club members through art-based project to reduce child labor. The Bhusaldada Child club expects local government, CSOs and NGOs of this area will take appropriate action after reading this policy brief.