Ego-states of the Employers of Child Labourers.

Abstract

This thesis entitled EGO-STATES OF THE EMPLOYERS OF CHILD LABOURERS is an attempt to study the Ego States of the employers of different kinds of child labourers in Bangladesh. The study comprises Review of secondary data, Observation, Study of Non-formal Education Program, Prevalence Study, Employer’s Ego State Measurement, and Employee’s Attitude Measurement. The researcher closely observed several hundreds of child labourers and their employers in different areas of Bangladesh during 2001- 2004. However, she formally studied 223 employers who did not employ child labourers, 322 employers who employed child labours, and 254 child labourers who expressed their attitude towards their employers. The researcher used Ego State Inventory to measure the five ego states of the employers. She used a self developed attitude measuring scale containing Ten Questions to measure the attitude of the child labourers towards their employers. In addition , she used a Questionnaire to assess the opinions of the employers towards Child Rights, Labour Laws, Interpersonal Relations, etc. of the employers. The formal study was done in the north western part of Bangladesh. The researcher painstakingly completed a door to door survey in four Mouzas of Rajshahi District. She has done complete study of the present population, their demographic situation and prevalence of child labour conditions. She also obtained all demographic data of these four areas and compared the trends of changes those took place since 1991 in these areas. Child labour is a serious problem in Bangladesh. Along with the signing of CRC, Bangladesh government has also taken some other steps to eliminate child labour from the country. The mass media is promoting awareness among the people not to engage children as labourers, and strictly not in hazardous jobs. Despite the fact, when children are seen engaged in different works, and in risky jobs employed by adult and literate people, the question comes whether these employers possess sound personality. The researcher tried to answer the questions from psychosocial viewpoints. Furthermore, the impact of non formal education program for the working children was also studied by the researcher. The major objectives of the research were to make a comparison of Ego States of employers who engage children as labourers and those who do not engage child labourers; to investigate the attitudes of the child labourers toward their employers; to conducta door-to-door survey in four sample areas to know the prevalence of child labour and related variables; to carry out a follow up study to know the impact of special education for child labourers; to relate Ego States of the employers with their age, education, socio economic status, exposure to Media, relationship with parents, awareness of laws, etc. The research was envisaged to suggest ways and means that will motivate the employers not to engage children in hazardous jobs. Another objective of the study was to identify other issues that Bangladesh Government can announce an appropriate Policy Programs related to child labour in the country. On completion of the study the researcher concludes that it is not possible to eliminate child labour practice from Bangladesh overnight unless the government introduces social welfare and child benefit schemes in the country. She also found that the interpersonal relationship of the child labourers and their employers are congenial in large majority of the cases. It was found that the employers scoring high in Adult Ego State are not employing child labours. Employers who scored high in Nurturing Parent Ego State consider their child labours as close as family members and look into the problems and prospects of these children. Employers who scored high in Rebellious Ego States are considerate to the problems of their employees, too. Child labourers showed highest positive attitude towards the employers who scored high in Adult Ego State, not to them who scored high in Nurturing Parent Ego states. This finding indicates that child labourers are intelligent and mature enough to evaluate their employers, and not guided by their emotions. Many employers humiliate their child labours, but the percentage is low. The researcher found that it is not the Ego State of the employers, rather pathogenic family condition and faulty education of the employers lead them to humiliate their child labourers. And their child labourers also know that. Finally, the researcher recommends that the government needs to have precise information about the child labour situation in order to gain an understanding of the varying dimensions of the problem. Research works are recommended to obtain reliable data on the extent and nature of child labourers across activities and occupations in both the formal and the informal sectors. This database would have to be updated on a routine basis and should be available to all concerned through the Internet.She also recommends that further studies should be undertaken to explore the causes of failure in the implementation of laws and policies, to assess and examine them in terms of resources and attitude by the psychologists, social scientists and policy makers. The researcher strongly felt that there must be clarity in governmental commitments and public policy implementation, if quality service delivery is to be ensured. Initiatives should be geared towards developing guidelines for ameliorating working conditions, streamlining recruitment and control mechanisms and ensuring strict inspection services.