The report Patterns and dynamics of bonded labour, child labour and child marriage in the Nepali Eastern Terai: Findings from life story analysis examines life stories collected by the Institute of Development Studies from the Freedom Fund slavery and bonded labour hotspot in Eastern Terai, Nepal. Conducted by NGO field staff and community representatives in March 2017, it supplemented findings from a prior scoping study in February 2016. The research involved qualitative assessments through interviews and focus groups with 156 participants, focusing on personal experiences and perceptions.
Key findings highlight the prevalence and complexities of bonded labour, child labour, child marriage, and migration as drivers of poverty and exploitation. The analysis underscores the interconnectedness of factors such as loans, landlessness, education barriers, and cultural norms contributing to perpetuating these practices. The workshop-based analysis involved community and NGO participants clustering thematic insights and causal relationships from the stories into a comprehensive system map. The report calls for targeted actions on issues like loans from middlemen, child marriage, and health-related financial crises, aiming to inform more effective NGO and policy responses in combating bonded labour and improving community resilience.
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