Should They Work or Should They Not? Low-Income Kurdish Migrant Mothers’ Beliefs and Attitudes About Child Labor

Purpose: As part of a larger ethnographic study, this article explored Kurdish mothers’ beliefs and attitudes about child labor. Methods: Twenty-seven low-income Kurdish migrant mothers in an inner-city neighborhood of Istanbul in Turkey were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling. Data were collected through demographic surveys, semi-structured in-depth interviews, and participant observations. Demographic surveys were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Through repeated readings of transcribed interviews and field notes, themes and patterns were identified using analytic induction techniques. Findings: The findings suggested that mothers’ views on child labor in the community were not homogenous. While the majority of the mothers considered child labor as a viable option, there were also mothers who opposed child labor. Mothers’ main reasons for being in support of child labor included financial constraints, protection of children from inner-city dangers, and teaching children about work and life. Those mothers who were against child labor asserted that it was the parents’ responsibility to take care of children and that children should not be adultified by sending them to work. Other concerns included interference with education and loss of children’s control. Conclusion and Implications: These findings provide insights into the dynamics of urban child labor in low-income Kurdish migrant families in Turkey. The study concludes by discussing policy and practice implications for preventive measures against child labor.