Before delving into the crux of child labor: the what, the how, and the why, let’s establish the hard facts of who.  That is, who are the children of Nepal?  And how many ways can we count them?

41 percent of the total population is below 16 years old.

2.6 million children are engaged in child labor.

50 percent of child laborers work without pay as family members or bonded laborers.

20 percent of the total workforce is comprised of children (one of the highest proportions in the world).

2 times as much work is performed by 10-14 year old girls compared to boys in the same age group.

42 percent of 10 to 14 year olds are working rather than attending school.

63 percent of the male population and only 35 percent of the female population over 15 are able to read and write.

And just in case you were wondering…

34 percent of marriages involve children below 15 years of age.

12,000 women and children are trafficked to India annually.

5,000 children are working and living on the streets.

And…

8,000 children have been orphaned and more than 40,000 have been displaced due to the ongoing-armed conflict between the government and Maoists (CPN).

The numbers say it all, don’t you think?

(Sources: CWIN-RAIC/CBS/UNICEF/Ministry of Education/ILO/UNFPA/Nepal Media Council and Jim Flood’s “Child Labor in Nepal:  A Brief Overview”)