Children in Domesticity in Haiti

Fafo's study on "Children in domesticity in Haiti" regards children's living conditions, and ideals and practices related to the raising of children, in connection with so-called "domestic child labour" (or children's labour in the domestic sphere) in Haiti. In Haiti, some of the children working in households other than their own, are known as "restavek", a (derogatory) term which in some international NGO-circles has come to denote "domestic child workers" the world over. We study what Haitian practices related to "domestic child labour" consists of, how such practices are understood locally, and the factors which underlie adults' decisions regarding children's place of residence (and place of work). In turn, we inquire into how the situation of "child domestic workers" and other children in Haiti differ in terms of living conditions. In general terms, the main objectives of the study are to:

• Produce information on the characteristics of the labour of children in domesticity
• Describe the living conditions of children in domesticity, as compared to other children
• Determine the extent (and demography) of the phenomenon of domesticity (number of children involved, their sex and age etc.)
• Describe the social, cultural, and economic context of practices related to "child relocation" and children in domesticity.

The study combines two sources of data:

1. Quantitative: Statistics from the extensive Haiti Living Conditions Survey (sample of ca. 8000 households).
2. Qualitative: Information (primary data) to be produced through a qualitative/ anthropological fieldwork.

The project is funded by UNICEF, ILO, Save the Children UK, Save the Children Canada and coordinated by UNDP-Haiti. In conjunction with the project, Fafo has received additional funding by the Norwegian Research Council (NFR) in order to analyse data further.

Publications

• Hatløy, Anne (2005), "Life as a Child Domestic Worker in Haiti." The Journal of Haitian Studies, vol 11 no 1. Ordering information
• Les fondements de la pratique de la domesticité des enfants en Haïti (pdf - 805kb). Tone Sommerfeldt (2002). See also: Synthèse des etudes (OIT-IPEC). See also revised draft in English (pdf - 448kb)

Researchers

• Anne Hatløy
• Tone Sommerfelt

Fafo's research on Haiti

Publications