A Closer Look at the Social Wellbeing of Child Laborers in Pir Wadhai and Mandi Moor, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

Abstract

Child labor remains a critical issue worldwide, particularly in auto workshops, especially in developing countries like Pakistan and its neighboring regions. This study aims to explore the complex factors driving children into the workforce. It focuses on the age distribution of child laborers and its correlation with their educational attainment and social well-being, examining the harsh working conditions they endure, including limited breaks, a lack of weekly holidays, and the consequent impacts on their physical and mental health. The research further investigates the social environment and behaviors of child laborers, assessing how smoking habits, savings, friendships, and leisure activities influence their emotional well-being and social integration. Additionally, it evaluates the relationship between workshop owners' behavior toward these children, incidences of punishment, the provision of safety measures, and the overall effect on their access to medical facilities. Employing a quantitative methodology, the study includes a sample of 200 child laborers selected through purposive sampling, utilizing structured interviews with closed-ended questions to accommodate potential literacy challenges. Data analyzed using SPSS reveals significant insights, such as 56% illiteracy, 77.5% lack of weekly holidays, and 73.5% working continuously without breaks, highlighting the emotional and physical toll of these conditions, underscored by high smoking rates and minimal social interactions. The application of Marxist theory provides a critical lens for understanding the exploitation and systemic inequalities faced by these children, emphasizing how capitalist structures commodify them as cheap labor under exploitative conditions. Statistical tests, including chi-square analysis, support the hypothesis that working conditions significantly impact social well-being, with a Pearson chi-square value of 679.193 and a p-value of .000. Overall, the findings underscore the urgent need for interventions and comprehensive policy changes to improve the well-being of child laborers in Pir Wadhai and Mandi Moor, addressing the fundamental causes of their exploitation