Child labor is reported as one of the social problems in Lebanon, especially in underserved urban neighborhoods of the major cities and in rural areas. What follows is a situation assessment of the working children in Lebanon, based on the data made available by the Population and Household Survey conducted by the Ministry of Social Affairs in 1996.

1st- Numbers

There are about 3163 children aged 10-13 years that work in Lebanon, while the number of those looking for work in this age group is 1947. These represent respectively 1.2% and 0.7% of the total population in that age group.
On the other hand, there are 28786 working children aged 14-17 years and 9525 of that same age group looking for work, representing 10.9% and 3.6% respectively of children in that age group.

It is worth noting that no data are available on working children below the age of 10 years. Nevertheless, it expected that the National Survey conducted at present by the Central Directorate of Statistics and UNICEF would provide data on this phenomenon.

2nd- Geographical distribution of working children

The region of North Lebanon has the highest proportion of working children with respect to the two age groups 10-13 years and 14-17 years. It is followed by the region of Mount Lebanon, then Beirut, Beqaa and the South. Overall, the districts of Tripoli, Minyeh, Akkar, Baabda, Baalbeck, Zahleh, Saida and Tyre have about 80% of working children aged 10-13 years.

In the North, working children are found mostly in the districts of Tripoli, Akkar and Minyeh (91-97% of working children in this region). In the region of Mount Lebanon, the districts of Baabda and Metn have the highest proportion of working children. More specifically, the poor urban neighborhoods of Bab Tebbaneh in Tripoli, Bourj Barajneh in Baabda and Bourj Hammoud in Metn are the worst affected areas in these districts.

3rd- Distribution by sex

The results of the survey indicate that the proportion of females among the working children group is lower than the proportion of females in the overall labor force. Indeed, while the latter is about 21%, the former ranges between 10 and 12%. Hence, in Lebanon as a whole, 88% of children aged 10-13 years are boys and the remaining 12% are girls. The proportion of working girls is highest in Akkar (34%) and in Bourj Hammoud (50%). As for the 14-17 years age group, 86% of them are boys and 14% are girls. The highest proportion of working girls in this age group is in Bourj Hammoud (19%), Akkar (16%) and Bourj Barajneh (15%).

4th- Educational level of working children

The educational level of working children is much lower than the educational level of the Lebanese labor force as a whole. Thus, while the proportion of illiterates is about 49% among the labor force in general, that proportion is 95% among working children aged 10-13 years and 84% among working children aged 14-17 years.

5th- Distribution of children by nationality

Ninety percent of working children in the age group 10-13 years and 95% of those aged 14-17 years are Lebanese.

6th- Distribution of working children by sectors

The industry and commerce sectors attract the largest proportion of working children. About 42% of children work in the industry sector, and 25% of them work in commerce. The service sector is the next important sector for working children. The proportion of children working in agriculture is highest in the districts of hermel, Akkar, and Tyre, while work in the industry sector is most significant in Bab Tebbaneh, Ouzai', Bourj Barajneh and Minyeh. Work in the trade sector is highest in Bourj Barajneh, Bourj Hammoud, Ouzai' and Saida.

7th- Type of work effected by children

The majority of children in the age group 10-13 years (84%) are involved in five types of occupations that do not require any skills. Most of these occupations require manual work (artisans, industry, construction works…). As for working children aged 14-17 years, they are concentrated in the five previous occupations in addition to the service sector (restaurants, hairdressing salons, domestic workers) and in operating machinery.

th- Regularity of work

With regard to duration of work, it is found that 80% of working children have permanent jobs, while 20% of them have seasonal or irregular work. The proportion of children with irregular or seasonal work is highest in Akkar, Tyre, Baalbeck (rural regions characterized by work in agriculture).

Variables affecting patterns of child labor

With respect to the variables affecting child labor, the following are worth noting:

1st- The sex of the household head

The sex of the household head does not affect the patterns of child labor. Nevertheless, it is to note that the proportion of working children within women headed households is highest in Bourj Barajneh, Bab Tebbaneh, Bourj Hammoud, Saida and Sour.

2nd- The educational level of the household head

It is noted that the education level of the household head of working children is not different from the educational level of working children themselves. Hence, 92% of working children aged 10-13 years live in families whose head has received only primary education or is even illiterate.

3rd- Occupation of household head

The occupation of household heads of working children are mostly like those of children, in addition to work in agriculture.

4th- Family size

The family size of working children is in general higher than the average family size in Lebanon as a whole. The proportion of working children living in families with more than 5 members is 70%.

UNICEF approach to child labor is based on a Human Rights approach to programming. The approach to child labor emphasizes the importance of protection. and empowerment of working children, as well as on the link between education and child labor.

Strategies used by UNICEF have included: