A Comparative Legal Political Analysis on Child Labour in India and Pakistan - Dissertation Example

? Ethics Form A Comparative Legal Political Analysis on Child Labour in India and Pakistan Opening remarks This ethics proposal form was meant to be submitted prior to the research for my dissertation. However, my lecturer did not inform me at that time that I needed to submit this form. Consequently, I am writing this proposal after the research and dissertation has been finished. As requested, I have written the proposal as if the research had not yet been conducted, and have provided additional information where required. Objectives The aim of this research was to examine how people in India and Pakistan perceive child labour and what the differences in perceptions were. This information will be related to the international and national laws concerning child labour that employers in India and Pakistan are subject to, and what changes need to be made to decrease the prevalence of child labour. To address the research aim, a mixed methods research approach will be taken, using both qualitative and quantitative aspects. Proposed methods It was determined that to accurately determine the differences between the two countries, a large sample size will need to be taken. Because child labour is a sensitive topic in both India and Pakistan, it was important that the research was non-invasive and did not require much time out of the participants. Consequently, a multiple-choice survey was designed containing ten questions. Using a multiple-choice survey allows the results to be quantifiable, and has the additional benefit of allow participants to maintain their anonymity. In order to bypass potential response bias and low response rate, the survey will be distributed in two forms, by mail (to 100 people in each country, using random sampling methods) and by handing out the survey in person (100 people per country). This method should allow for adequate numbers of respondents, to research the questions for this topic. Because the results from these surveys would be broad and the design did not allow individual perspectives to be shown, it was determined that a second part of the research project will also need to be undertaken. This component of the research will involve face-to-face interviews with five participants from each country, representing a range of industries. The aim is to interview two employers from industries that traditionally hire child labourers, two lawyers and one adult worker from the same industry. However, it may be difficult to find people who are willing to talk openly about child labour, so these allocations may not be exact. Each interview will be between ten minutes and an hour in length, depending on how willing the subjects are to participate. Ethical considerations Subjects who participate in this study will be given an informational page along with the survey which informs them about the study (Appendix 1) and what the data collected will be used for. Participation in the survey will be taken as informed consent. Likewise, all participants in the verbal interviews will be given information about the study, and the implications will be discussed prior to the beginning of the interview. Individuals will be given the option to opt-out of the study if they were not comfortable with the information, and participation will be assumed to mean informed consent. The method of survey taking that will be used allows participants to remain entirely anonymous. Participants will not be asked to identify themselves in any way, and no identifying information will recorded. In addition, information on what addresses the survey is sent out to will not be recorded. Consequently, there will be no way to determine the individual identities of the people who participate in the survey. The interview portion of the study involves the researcher talking face-to-face with the participant. This is more difficult, as the researcher will be aware of the identity of the individuals that are part of the interviews. However, their anonymity will be maintained and no personally identifiable information will be recorded. Survey questions The following questions will be used for the written survey. These have been designed to cover as much information as possible, while still making it possible for participants to answer quickly and easily. 1. Is child labour a problem in your country? a. Yes b. No c. Don’t know 2. At what age do you believe children should be able to work? a. Any age b. 5 years or older c. 10 years or older d. 15 years or older e. 18 years or older 3. If you were in a relevant industry, would you hire child labourers? a. I already do b. Yes, I would c. I would consider it d. Only if it was necessary to remain competitive e. No, never 4. Do you believe that working conditions for children need to be improved? a. Yes b. No c. Only in situations where the conditions are very bad 5. If a family is poor, should a child (under 14) work to help support his or her family a. Yes, it is the role of the child b. Depending on the age of the child c. No, there are better alternatives d. Only if there are no other options 6. Do you believe that current laws sufficiently protect children from being exploited? (Choose as many answers as you need) a. Laws are not enforced enough b. There are not enough laws c. Penalties are too light d. Laws are adequate e. Laws are too severe 7. Is bonded labour of children a frequent problem in your country a. It does not occur b. It is present, but not in high numbers c. It is a significant problem d. I do not know 8. Do you think employers exploit children? a. Yes b. No c. I don’t know 9. Do you believe that child labour is necessary for some businesses to remain competitive? a. Yes b. No c. For a few businesses, not many d. I don’t know 10. Do you think that obtaining primary education is important for children? a. Yes b. No, it does not prepare them for the future c. Only if they are not needed elsewhere Topic guide The interview section of this research will be semi-formal, and the direction of the conversation will be strongly led by the participants and the subjects that they feel most comfortable talking about. However, the following topics will form a basis of what is hoped to be covered in the interview, in the order that will be followed where it is possible: 1. Child labour, what it is and why it occurs 2. Child labour in Pakistan/India, is it prevalent, is it accepted 3. Bonded labour versus child labour 4. Moral sentiments about child labour 5. Role of child labour in industry and economic growth 6. Should child labour occur? Should there be any restrictions on its use? 7. Current child labour laws, their relevance and their effectiveness Closing remarks I would like to thank the Dean for the time required to consider this application. I am out of the country from the 7th May 2012 and my return date is for the 15th August 2012. I will be contactable via email at hameda_iqbal@hotmail.co.uk. I would be grateful if I am informed of any decision as soon as possible, as this directly affects my ability to graduate. Thank you Appendix 1 – Survey Information Sheet COVENTRY UNIVERSITY PARTICIPANT INFORMATION SHEET Title of the Project: A Comparative Legal Political Analysis on Child Labour in India and Pakistan Name of the Researcher: Introduction: You are being asked to participate in a research study. Your involvement will not require a significant amount of time, and is not difficult. Please read the information below before determining whether you are prepared to take part in the study. If you have any questions, feel free to ask or contact me. Participation: Participation in this study is purely optional and no personally identifiable information will be taken. Attached to this page is a ten-question survey. If you choose to take part, please fill out the survey and return to me in person, or at the address below. If you do not wish to take part, simply do not return the survey. Purpose of the study: The aim of this study is to examine the way that people perceive child labour in India and Pakistan. I encourage you to be as honest in your answers as possible, as this will allow for the most accurate results. None of the questions are about you personally, and consequently, there will be no way for anyone to identify who answered which survey. Risks of this study There are no risks involved in participating in this study, it is straightforward and should take no more than ten minutes of your time. Thank you for your time and corporation Read More