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World Education Publications

Child Labor and Trafficking

In its work to reduce child labor and trafficking, World Education strives to remove children from exploitive working environments and provide them with formal schooling and vocational training. World Education and its partners equip children in labor situations and others who are designated as "at-risk" for entering abusive industries with skills that enable them to protect themselves and secure better opportunities for the future.

Please note the following are listed in chronological order starting with the most recent publication.

The Brighter Futures Project Final Report: Executive Summary

World Education's Brighter Futures Program (BFP) was an eight year initiative supported by the U.S. Department of Labor whose aim was to reduce the number of children engaged in exploitative child labor in Nepal. The project has been extraordinarily successful, providing educational and other support to 43,291 children working in the worst forms of child labor in Nepal and to 72,140 children identified as particularly at-risk. Nepal is now witnessing major changes as more children enter into formal, nonformal, and vocational education programs in lieu of child labor industries. This report summarizes BFP's work with children in the different labor industries, and serves as an introduction to the series of thematic strategies reports and status reports that comprise the final report of the project. (World Education/Brighter Futures project, 2009.)

Download The Brighter Futures Project Final Report: Executive Summary (PDF, 16.13 MB)

Improved Family Livelihoods to Address Child Labor

This booklet outlines the Brighter Futures Program's strategies to address family poverty in order to help children avoid child labor. Strategies include advice on developing education programs, increasing microfinance access for marginalized households, and helping families to build self-help groups, establish new urban livelihoods, and solidify community networks, savings and credit. This report highlights BFP's approaches, lessons learned, impact, and a cost benefit analysis by district. Part of a series of thematic strategies reports that combine with a series of status reports to comprise the final report for the Brighter Futures project funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. World Education/Brighter Futures project. 2009.

Download Improved Family Livelihoods to Address Child Labor (PDF, 804 KB)

Formal Education to Address Child Labor

Worldwide, keeping children in formal school and out of working situations has been one the most successful strategies for ending child labor. Under the Brighter Futures Program, World Education has created scholarship programs and Parent Teacher Associations to enable even the poorest children to receive a formal education. This status report focuses on scholarship support programs and successful approaches for reintegrating working children into school. The booklet also includes lessons learned and best practices for coaching classes, mobilizing parents, improving governance, planning curricula, financing schools, and building teacher capacity. Part of a series of thematic strategies reports that combine with a series of status reports to comprise the final report for the Brighter Futures project funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. World Education/Brighter Futures project. 2009.

Download Formal Education to Address Child Labor (PDF, 1.2 MB)

Nonformal Education to Address Child Labor

Flexible programs offering a range of levels and approaches are needed to transition younger children to the formal education system and to prepare older children for vocational education. This report looks at Nepal's background in nonformal education and the initiatives that World Education's Brighter Futures Program developed for working children and children-at-risk. The document features success stories, best practices and future directions for the various programs: matching learners with curricula, Girls Access to Education (GATE), curriculum development, flexible schooling, bridging to formal education, ethnic and regional considerations, open learning centers, facilitator training, microfinance. Part of a series of thematic strategies reports that combine with a series of status reports to comprise the final report for the Brighter Futures project funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. World Education/Brighter Futures project. 2009.

Download Nonformal Education to Address Child Labor (PDF, 1.4 MB)

Vocational Education to Address Child Labor

For many children in Nepal, vocational training is often the best option to escape exploitative labor situations. This report highlights approaches that the Brighter Futures Program uses to provide working children with access to vocational education programs, apprenticeships, and career-planning workshops. The booklet also includes information about self-employment and economic education programs (SEEP), life skills, girls in adult entertainment, agro-forestry and rural livelihoods, challenges, lessons learned, and success stories. Part of a series of thematic strategies reports that combine with a series of status reports to comprise the final report for the Brighter Futures project funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. World Education/Brighter Futures project. 2009.

Download Vocational Education to Address Child Labor (PDF, 906 KB)

Children Associated With Armed Forces or Armed Groups

Worldwide, the use of child soldiers is seen as one of the worst forms of child labor; during the People's War in Nepal, many children under the age of 18 became involved with different armed groups. This document highlights how World Education and its partners in the Brighter Futures Program used community sensitization and reintegration activities to assist children who had been associated with armed forces or groups. This booklet also identifies the most successful approaches and the major challenges faced by children returning to school or those in vocational training and apprenticeships. Part of a series that comprises the final report for the Brighter Futures project funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. World Education/Brighter Futures project. 2009.

Download Children Associated With Armed Forces or Armed Groups (PDF, 1.1 MB)

Children Working in Portering

Child porters are those who carry loads for income. These children, typically the poorest of the poor, are often encouraged to miss school and carry heavy loads in order to earn extra cash to support their families. This report highlights World Education's work through the Brighter Futures Program to assist children working in portering. The booklet includes context, nonformal, formal and vocational education support provided, challenges, lessons learned, and best practices/recommendations. Part of a series that comprises the final report for the Brighter Futures project funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. World Education/Brighter Futures project. 2009.

Download Children Working in Portering (PDF, 2.5 MB)

Children Working in Brick Factories

Rapid population growth and increased urbanization in Nepal have created a demand for brick workers. Many of these workers are migrant children whose families have moved from rural areas in search of work. This booklet presents an overview of the child labor situation in the brick industry, as well as strategies being implemented to address the situation. World Education's work through the Brighter Futures Program to address this aspect of child labor includes nonformal education, vocational education, parent teacher associations, and support to attend formal schools. Challenges and lessons learned in each of these areas are also presented. Part of a series that comprises the final report for the Brighter Futures project funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. World Education/Brighter Futures project. 2009.

Download Children Working in Brick Factories (PDF, 1.8 MB)

Children Working in Mining Industry

Children working in the mining industry face dangers from the work environment as well as daily risks of accident and injury. This report outlines how World Education and its partners in the Brighter Futures Program have implemented nonformal education programs, vocational trainings and family livelihood development activities to help children who are involved with mining. The report also covers major challenges faced, lessons learned, and best practices. Part of a series that comprises the final report for the Brighter Futures project funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. World Education/Brighter Futures project. 2009.

Download Children Working in Mining Industry (PDF, 1.9 MB)

Children Working in Recycling Industry

The children who work in this labor sector are often runaways, orphans, abandoned children, and children of poor migrant families who do not have access to educational opportunities. This report highlights World Education's work with the Brighter Futures Program to assist child laborers in the recycling industry through nonformal education programs, curriculum development, scholarship aid, and vocational education. This booklet also covers major challenges faced, most successful approaches, and valuable lessons learned. Part of a series that comprises the final report for the Brighter Futures project funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. World Education/Brighter Futures project. 2009.

Download Children Working in Recycling Industry (PDF, 2.0 MB)

Children Working in Private Homes

This document focuses on the ways that World Education and the Brighter Futures Program have assisted children working as domestic helpers in private homes in Nepal. The booklet highlights nonformal education, vocational education, and economic education programs, as well as other services such as child protection committees, community mobilization projects, and local government and private sector efforts. Additional information about successful approaches, outcomes, major challenges and lessons learned are covered by region. Part of a series that comprises the final report for the Brighter Futures project funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. World Education/Brighter Futures project. 2009.

Download Children Working in Private Homes (PDF, 2.8 MB)

Children Working in Transport Sector

Due to increased urbanization in Nepal, child labor in the transportation sector has emerged as a major social challenge; children work long hours to operate vehicles in highly polluted environments. This status report highlights the Brighter Futures Program's efforts to provide education opportunities such as vocational training and school scholarships for child transport workers. The booklet offers practical information about the program's best practices, successful approaches and major challenges. Part of a series that comprises the final report for the Brighter Futures project funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. World Education/Brighter Futures project. 2009.

Download Children Working in Transport Sector (PDF, 1.1 MB)

Children Working in the Carpet Industry

While the legal removal of child labor from the production of carpets has been a major success story for Nepal, structured education programs and constant vigilance are needed to keep up this achievement. This report explores ways that World Education's Brighter Futures Program (BFP) used educational programs—including nonformal classes, vocational training, open learning centers, and livelihood development—to help remove children from the carpet industry. The booklet also looks at ways that BFP worked to support impoverished families and provide educational opportunities for girls. Information on successful approaches, lessons learned and major challenges faced are also covered in this document. Part of a series that comprises the final report for the Brighter Futures project funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. World Education/Brighter Futures project. 2009.

Download Children Working in the Carpet Industry (PDF, 1.3 MB)

Children Trafficked and Sexually Exploited in the Adult Entertainment Industry

The end of the civil war in Nepal brought an explosion of the adult entertainment sector and, as a result, an increase in the number of children being sexually exploited. This report provides background information about the child trafficking situation in Nepal and highlights ways that the Brighter Futures Program worked to withdraw girls from the adult entertainment industry and reintegrate them into schools. The booklet also identifies successful approaches for working with victims, ways to attract students into education programs, major challenges faced by victims, and complimentary services available to victims as safety resources. Part of a series that comprises the final report for the Brighter Futures project funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. World Education/Brighter Futures project. 2009.

Download Children Trafficked and Sexually Exploited in the Adult Entertainment Industry (PDF, 1.4 MB)