Impact of a Sensitization Campaign on Child Labour among Rural Farming Households in Nigeria

The intervention consists of a sensitization campaign delivered through edutainment materials designed to raise awareness about the consequences of child labour among rural farming households. In communities assigned to the treatment group, participants are shown a culturally relevant movie playlet dramatizing the risks and long-term effects of child labour, as well as the benefits of education and alternative household support strategies.

Following the screening, each participating household receives a visual wall chart illustrating key messages from the playlet. The chart is intended to serve as a constant visual reminder within the household, reinforcing the campaign’s messages and encouraging behavioral change over time.

This single-arm intervention is implemented at the community level, with all eligible households in treated communities exposed to both the video and the wall chart materials.

2025-07-06

2025-07-31

Reduction in Child Labour Participation:
The primary outcome is the reduction in the number of children involved in child labour within the household. This will be measured by comparing the number of hours spent by children on farm-related or household labour activities before and after the intervention.

Increased School Attendance:
A secondary measure of success will be the increase in school attendance rates among children in the target households. This will be assessed by tracking school enrollment and absenteeism rates for children of eligible ages before and after the intervention.

Changes in Household Attitudes Towards Child Labour:
The intervention’s effectiveness in changing household perceptions of child labour will be measured by assessing the attitudes and beliefs about child labour within the household. This will include understanding the perceived benefits of education and the costs of child labour, as captured in surveys before and after the intervention.

Reduction in Child Labour Participation: This outcome will be constructed by asking the eldest child in the household (with consent obtained beforehand) about the different activities they engage in as part of their daily tasks, specifically farm or household labour. We will inquire whether they receive wages for any work they perform. The outcome will be measured by the total number of hours spent on such activities per week, as reported by the child, comparing baseline and endline data. A reduction in the hours of child labour post-intervention will reflect the effectiveness of the sensitization campaign.

Increased School Attendance: The outcome will track whether the child (primarily the eldest) attends school, using the ratio of days attended to total school days. This will be reported by the child or household head. We will also ask about any interruptions in schooling due to labour, particularly whether child labour is affecting their ability to attend school regularly. An increase in school attendance and a reduction in school absences due to labour will indicate positive impacts of the intervention.


Changes in Household Attitudes Towards Child Labour: Attitudes towards child labour will be assessed by surveying the eldest child and household head about their perceptions of child labour, the importance of education, and whether children should be paid for labour. A composite index will be constructed based on responses, with higher scores reflecting positive changes in attitudes towards reducing child labour and supporting children's education. The shift in these attitudes from baseline to endline will indicate the success of the intervention in changing perceptions.

Household Assets: This outcome measures changes in the wealth or assets of the household, such as land, livestock, farming equipment, and other productive assets. Household heads will be asked about the value and ownership of these assets at baseline and endline. A composite score will be constructed based on the presence and value of these assets. Changes in the household asset index will help assess whether the sensitization campaign has led to improved economic stability or opportunities within the household.

Food Security: The level of food security will be measured by assessing household access to sufficient, nutritious food. This will be captured using a commonly used food security scale, such as the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), which includes questions on the frequency of food shortages, variety of food, and adequacy of food intake. The responses will be used to create an index reflecting food security status, with improvement indicating a positive change in the household's ability to meet basic nutritional needs.

Household Assets: This outcome will be constructed by asking household heads about the ownership and value of key assets, including land, livestock, farming tools, and household items such as furniture and electronics. The questions will focus on both the presence and value of these assets. The responses will be aggregated into a composite asset index, where each type of asset is given a weight based on its perceived value. This index will be compared before and after the intervention to assess changes in household wealth, which may reflect improvements in economic conditions resulting from the sensitization campaign.

Food Security: The food security outcome will be constructed using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) , which measures how often a household experiences difficulties in accessing enough food. The questions will focus on indicators such as food shortages, the variety of food consumed, and the frequency of skipping meals. The responses will be used to create a food security index, with higher scores indicating more severe food insecurity. Any changes in the index from baseline to endline will indicate improvements or worsening of food security in the household, potentially as a result of the intervention’s impact on household resources or child labour.

This study uses a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (cRCT) design to evaluate the impact of a child labour sensitization campaign on rural farming households in Nigeria. The intervention focuses on educating households about the negative effects of child labour through edutainment materials: a movie playlet and a visual wall chart.

Design:
Treatment Group: Communities assigned to the treatment group will receive the intervention, which includes screening the movie playlet and providing each household with a visual wall chart featuring key messages on the risks of child labour and the importance of education.

Control Group: Communities in the control group will not receive the intervention and will continue with their regular activities.

Randomization:
Randomization at the Cluster Level: The trial involves clusters of households (i.e., entire communities). Communities are randomly assigned to either the treatment or control group, ensuring that the intervention is applied at the community level rather than to individual households.

Outcome Measurement:
Primary Outcomes: Child labour participation (measured by hours spent on work), school attendance, and household attitudes towards child labour will be measured before and after the intervention.

Secondary Outcomes: Household assets and food security will also be measured to assess broader impacts of the intervention.

The study aims to assess whether the sensitization campaign can reduce child labour, increase school attendance, and positively shift household attitudes toward child welfare.

Not available

Randomization was done using a computer-based randomization method with a random number generator to assign communities to either the treatment or control group. This method ensures that the assignment is completely random and free from bias.

The unit of randomization for this study is the community (cluster of households). Communities were randomly assigned to either the treatment group or the control group.

Yes

32 communities

480 households

16 communities control, 16 communities sensitization campaign

The minimum detectable effect size (MDE) for the main outcome - child labor hours is 9.34 hours. This was calculated using a significance level of 5%, 80% power, and an assumed intra-cluster correlation (ICC) of 0.325. The standard deviation used in the power calculation was based on baseline estimates of labour hours. The design assumes 32 communities (clusters), with an initial estimate of 9 households per cluster. However, the actual implementation will include 15 households per cluster, which is expected to improve statistical. The calculation also accounts for potential attrition, estimated at 10–15%, and sample sizes have been slightly oversampled to ensure sufficient power even if some participants are lost to follow-up.