In harm’s way: children’s work in risky occupations in Brazil

Deborah S. DeGraff, Bowdoin College
Andrea R. Ferro, Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos
Deborah Levison, University of Minnesota

Little is known about the connection between women’s work and child labor, yet it exists. Our previous research on potential relationships between children’s and mothers’ work in Brazil suggests a number of interesting correlations. This study focuses on jobs that have been identified as hazardous for children in Brazil: domestic service, street work of various sorts, construction work and farm work in tobacco, coffee, and sugar cane production. If children’s work is closely tied to their mothers’ employment in occupations that are particularly problematic for children, highly targeted policies may be needed to break this link perpetuating inequalities in economic status.