Factors influencing the girl child in urban domestic service labour in Eldoret, Uasin-Gishu County, Kenya

Abstract

Throughout the world and Africa in particular, child labour continues to be a major issue of concern. Working children are often engaged under exploitative conditions that are harmful to their moral, psychological, social, economic and physical development. While many think of children in domestic service as ‗helping‘ (house helps), they in fact often carry out work that is way beyond their age. Despite national and international effort to curb the problem, child labour has persisted. As a result the paper sought to understand factors influencing the girl child in urban domestic service labour in Eldoret town. The paper used exploratory research design for an in-depth and holistic understanding of the child labour dynamics. A sample of 253 girls working in the domestic service was used. Purposive and convenience sampling were the major sampling designs adopted to select the participants. Data for the study was collected using un-structured questionnaire, in-depth interviews and observation techniques. Qualitative method was used to analyze data where thematic approach was utilized. The study found that there were both push and pull factors influencing girl child in urban domestic service labour. On one hand, poverty; lack of education; gender discrimination; domestic violence; internal displacement due to post-election violence; and orphan-hood were the major push factors established during the study. On the other hand, availability of jobs; good pay and better working conditions were established as pull factors influencing girl child in urban domestic service labour. The paper recommended for policy response by the government to curb girl-child labour.