Small Hands, Heavy Burden: How the Syria Conflict is Driving More Children into the Workforce

The conflict and humanitarian crisis in Syria are pushing an ever increasing number of children into exploitation in the labour market. The report shows that inside Syria, children are now contributing to the family income in more than three quarters of surveyed households, In Jordan, close to half of all Syrian refugee children are now the joint or sole family breadwinners in surveyed households, while in some parts of Lebanon, children as young as six years old are reportedly working.

Child labour represents one of the key challenges to the fulfilment of the “No Lost Generation” initiative launched in 2013, in which UNICEF, Save the Children and other partners aimed to put child protection and education at the centre of the humanitarian response to the Syria crisis. The purpose of this report is to shed light on the plight of working children and influence a bold discussion on strategies to address the phenomenon. Drawing on assessments and studies undertaken in countries affected by the Syria crisis, it examines the implications for children, and proposes a set of recommendations for stakeholders to consider that could reduce the impact of child labour among Syrian children, and help them reclaim their childhood.