Citation

Fahim HI, Faris R. J. Egypt Public Health Assoc. 1992; 67(1-2): 1-11.

Affiliation

Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, Lippicott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

1295939

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the magnitude of the problem of using children as an economic asset to the family thus, in one way increasing the prevalence of child abuse in Egypt and also hindering the family planning program. Two focus-group interviews were conducted in urban & rural areas for 10 women with the same age range and socioeconomic background. All were non-users of any contraception. Subsequently an interview was conducted for all women who attended the Ob. & Gyn. Clinic at Ain Shams University Hospital in the period from June to August 1991, their ages ranged from 30-35 years and they never used contraception. Another group of women with the same characteristics were interviewed from a rural area at Fayoum Governorate. A questionnaire was filled for each interviewed woman. The total women interviewed in urban area is 340 while in the rural area they were 400 women. Sixty percent of urban women and 80% of rural women are illiterate, 70% of the urban & 100% of rural women are housewives. Their years of marriage ranged between 10-20 years and all of them have more than five children. A percentage of 73.5% of urban women and 85% of rural women stated that children are used as an economic asset to their families, they work in urban areas as assistants in motor repairs, hair-dressers, beggars, bakeries, shops, restaurants and factories while in rural areas they work as agricultural workers.Even though the UN in 1959 showed concern about child labor, developing countries still require the economic contribution of children. It is estimated that 100 million children 15 years of age are economically active. The estimate for Egypt was 6.5% of children 6-14 years in 1980. The objective of this study was to assess the extent of the problem of child labor in Egypt. The goal is to provide legal restrictions on children working, considering this situation a form of child abuse. Focus groups comprised of 10 women, aged 30-35 years, and of similar socioeconomic background who were noncontraceptors, were conducted in urban and rural areas. An additional sample of 340 urban women and 400 rural women completed a questionnaire in 1991. Demographic characteristics of the women and 80% of rural women were illiterate. 70% of urban women and 100% of rural women were housewives. All women had 5 children and had been married 10-20 years. Children in urban areas worked as mechanics helpers, hair dressers, beggars, or in factories, bakeries, shops, or restaurants. Rural children all worked in agriculture. Salaries ranged from L.E. 30-40 per week in urban areas and L.E. 15-20 per week in rural areas.

Language: en