Child Labour and Microfinance in Morocco: Using Microfinance to Reduce Child Labour and the Case of the Al Amana Microfinance Institution

Approximately 218 million children are child laborers worldwide. These children work as agricultural workers, prostitutes, handicraft producers, and in virtually in every other form of employment imaginable. But although the problem of child labour has been one of recent international focus, there are still 126 million children involved in some form of hazardous work each year. The existence of such statistics can be attributed in part to the complex and multi-faceted nature of child labour. Similarly, the reasons for child labour can range from economic and political instability, migration, lack of work, and/or poor school systems. Therefore, the reduction of child labour requires a holistic governmental and social reform. This paper seeks to address the child labour situation in one particular country, Morocco. In order to understand the issue of child labour, it is first it is necessary to come to a universal definition of child labour. Internationally, this definition has been created with the aid of two Conventions by the International Labour Organization (ILO). Therefore, the introduction of this paper will begin by giving a brief overview of these Conventions, and will follow by defining important terms. The first section of this paper will then be devoted to the historical basis and statistical data of child labour in Morocco. It will describe the conditions of child workers in Morocco. The second section will address the attempts by different actors to reduce child labour, including local, national and international actors. Finally, this paper will look at one specific attempt to reduce child labour, microfinance institutions, and will focus on the efforts of the Al Amana Microfinance Institution as a case study