CHAPTER III
Socio-Economic Condition of Working Families

The situation and the extent of child labour depend upon the socio-economic and demographic condition of their family. Generally the situation of children is better off where the family is educated and does not have subsistence problems compared to the illiterate and the very poor. The economic condition of all the working families, however, is found to be more or less similar because they are landless and depend upon their daily earnings. Thus in this chapter socio-economic condition of the working families is analysed in order to learn about the situation of children in the families.

The survey covered 509 working families. The total population in these working families is recorded at 2828. Among them, 49.3 per cent are males and 50.7 per cent are females. Thus the sex ratio in these working families is 97.1, which is slightly lower than the national average (99.5). The population census 1991 recorded the higher sex ratio of Ilam and Jhapa as being 101.4 and 102.1 respectively. The average family size of working families is found to be 5.6 which is more than in Ilam and Jhapa, but equal to the national average.

Table 3.1 Population Distribution by Age and Sex in the working Families

Note: The total percentage may not add up to 100.0 due to rounding up.
        Figures in parenthesis indicate number of people in the working families.
Source: Field Survey, 1996

The above table shows that 40.9 per cent are under 15 years. Only 3.4 per cent belong to the old age category (60 years and above) and the remaining 55.7 per cent belong to the age group 15-59 (productive age group). In the working families the proportion of children under 15 years as well as the proportion of the aged (60 years and above) is lower than the national average. Consequently the proportion of productive population is more than the national average. The proportion of males is found comparatively high at the older age groups. It is due to high maternal mortality because of the practice of early marriage and lack of health facilities in these working families.

Nepal be boasts of diverse caste/ethnic groups. A large proportion of the workers in the tea estates in out of the total population of working families, is Santhal - the aboriginal tribe of Jhapa (18.9 per cent, in total, 19.4 per cent male and 18.5 per cent female) followed by Brahmin (16.9%), Chhetri and Thakuri (13.5%). The proportion of occupational caste such as Damain, Kami, etc. is also significant. Rajbansi and Dhimal account for 5.4 per cent of the total population and Muslims, only one per cent (Table 3.2). In the total labour force, the proportion of hill-origin groups is high compared to the Terai and mountain ethnic groups.

Table 3.2 Population Distribution by Sex and Caste/Ethnicity

Note: The total percentage may not add up to 100.0 due to rounding up.
        Figures in parenthesis indicate number of people in the working families.
Source: Field Survey, 1996

More than 90 per cent of the population in the tea estates are Hindus, which is more than the national figure (86.5 % in 1991 census), whereas the percentage of Buddhists is below the national figure (7.8 %). 3.6 per cent of the population say that they are at present following Christianity though they are not Christians by birth (See Table 3.3). Generally Hindus and Buddhists have been converted to Christianity due to poverty, because Christian organisations are said to provide economic as well as social benefits to those who follow the religion.

Table 3.3 Population Distribution by Religion and Sex

Note: The total percentage may not add up 100.0 due to rounding up.
        Figures in parenthesis indicate number of people in the working families.
Source: Field Survey, 1996

The data on literacy were obtained from the population of 5 years and above. Out of the total population, the literate and the illiterate are found at about 50 per cent each. Male literacy is high (61.5 per cent) whereas female literacy is only 39.1 per cent (Table 3.4).

Table 3.4 Distribution of Population (5 years and above)
by Literacy Status and Sex

Note: The total percentage may not add up to 100.0 due to rounding up.
        Figures in parenthesis indicate number of people in the working families.
Source: Field Survey, 1996

Looking at the literacy status by caste/ethnicity, Brahmin, Chhetri and Thakuri are more literate than other caste/ethnic groups (Table 3.5). On the other hand, hill origin groups are more literate than the Terai origin groups.

Table 3.5 Distribution of Population (5 years and above) by
Literacy Status and Caste/Ethnicity

Note: The total percentage may not add up to 100.0 due to rounding up.
        Figures in parenthesis indicate number of people in the working families.
Source: Field Survey, 1996

Out of the literate population, 19.2 percent have never been to school but have been educated to some extent at home. Owing to their upper caste family traditions 58.1 per cent have completed primary school; 21.3 per cent have completed secondary school and only 1.4 per cent have passed S.L.C. and above. It is interesting that no single female was found in the surveyed working families who had passed S.L.C. and above (Table 3.6). This shows the discrimination between males and females with respect to education.

Table 3.6 Educational Attainment of the Literate Population by Sex

Note: The total percentage may not add up to 100.0 due to rounding up.
        Figures in parenthesis indicate number of people in the working families.
Source: Field Survey, 1996

Among the total 758 children aged 5-14 years, 57.4 per cent went to school at the time of survey (61.7 per cent boys and 53.3 per cent girls). The proportion of school going girls declines as the age increases (Table 3.7). It is to be noted that it declines either because of early marriage or due to greater engagement in household work. The proportion of school going children is found high (68.8 per cent) in the public tea estates compared to the private tea estates (47.3 per cent), mainly due to the lack of proper schooling facilities there. In both public and private tea estates the proportion of school going boys is higher than the girls (Table 3.7), reflecting discrimination in terms of gender.

Table 3.7 Distribution of Children (5-14 years)
by School Going Status, Age, Sex and Status of Tea Estates

Note: The total percentage may not add up to 100.0 due to rounding up.
        Figures in parenthesis indicate number of people in the working families.
Source: Field Survey, 1996

While ascertaining the causes of not attending school, it is vitally important to note whether there are schools within the access of the target groups. The observation during the survey shows that there are schools located within the boundary of 7 tea-estates, and close to 6 tea-estates. Schools are within an hour's walk from rest of the tea estates. Thus, primary school is accessible to tea plantation working families both in Ilam and in Jhapa. Unfortunately, 42.6 per cent of the children in the working families do not go to school. Among them about 62 per cent do not go to school because their parents are unable to afford school expenses such as stationeries, school fees, school uniform, etc. The parents of 1.5 per cent children considered schooling for their children as unnecessary (Table 3.8). They preferred to have their children work in the same tea estate with them.

Table 3.8 Distribution of Children (5-14) Not Going to School
by Main Causes and Sex

Note: The total percentage may not add up to 100.0 due to rounding up.
        Figures in parenthesis indicate number of people in the working families
Source: Field Survey, 1996

The marital status distribution of the population aged 10 years and above in the surveyed working families shows that 60.8 per cent are married and 36.9 per cent are unmarried and 2.4 per cent are widows/separated/ divorced (Table 3.9).

Table 3.9 Distribution of Population 10 Years and Above by Marital Status

Note: The total percentage may not add up to 100.0 due to rounding up.
        Figures in parenthesis indicate number of people in the working families.
Source: Field Survey, 1996

The working families were also divided into different groups from the point of view of their place of birth. 66 per cent of the population in the working families were born in the same VDC/municipality where they are presently working, 14.1 per cent were born in the same District but in another VDC and 6.6 per cent were born in another country (most of them in India) (Table 3.10). However, most of the native workers too have been facing problems in acquiring citizenship certificates. This is a major cause for their frustration.

Table 3.10 Distribution of Population by their Place of Birth and Sex

Note: The total percentage may not add up to 100.0 due to rounding up.
        Figures in parenthesis indicate number of people in the working families.
Source: Field Survey, 1996

The survey recorded the occupation data from the working families by age and sex. In total 46.7 per cent of the population in the age group of 5 years and above are engaged as workers in the tea estates; 21.5 per cent are working as unpaid family workers, and 30.3 per cent are unemployed. The proportion of idlers is more among the children in 15-18 years age group. In the 5-14 age group, 3 per cent (3.6 per cent male and 2.6 per cent female) are working as tea workers, 34.7 per cent as unpaid family workers and 62.2 per cent are not involved in any work (Table 3.11). Some of them go to school and some idle away their time.

Table 3.11 Distribution of Population 5 Years and Above
by their Occupation, Age and Sex