Although the majority of the population still live in rural areas and derive their livelihood from agriculture the pressure of change including population growth, declining fertility of farmland and the pressures of globalisation has seen a significant and rapid rise in the numbers living in cities. Currently an estimated 38% of the population is aged under 14 years and the pressure of change falls heavily on this age group and this has resulted in significant levels of child migration. Children move away from their homes for a variety of reasons including the death of one or both parents, poverty, illiteracy, domestic abuse and the perceived attractions of city life. Many of these children find themselves living on the streets in urban areas and attempt to earn money in marginal economic activities such as collecting rags, shining shoes, dishwashing in hotels, pulling carts and rickshaws and begging. Trafficking of children also occurs with children being ‘recruited’ often for an exchange of money.
These children will often then be used for domestic labour, carpet weaving and a variety of other jobs. They and their families are lured by promises of good employment but the reality is very different with very low pay, if any at all, and harsh living and working conditions.
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