22 November 2025
Lost Childhood: The Reality of Children Engaged in Waste Scavenging
النص الكامل لهذه الدراسة متاح حاليًا بالإنجليزية. النسخة العربية قيد الإعداد.
This study documents the lived realities of children engaged in waste scavenging in East Amman, Rusaifeh, and Zarqa, examining the socioeconomic, cultural, and structural drivers of child labor and the conditions shaping children's lives and education. It provides evidence-based insights and policy-relevant recommendations to inform targeted interventions aimed at reducing child labor and improving child well-being.
About this study
A focused investigation of the children working in waste-picking and scavenging across East Amman, Rusaifeh, and Zarqa — three sites where the practice has become embedded in family livelihoods and community routines.
The research combines field observation, in-depth interviews with affected children and families, and engagement with service providers and local authorities. It situates individual experiences within the socioeconomic, cultural, and structural conditions that produce and sustain child labor.
What the study covers
- Drivers — household poverty, education access barriers, family debt, displacement.
- Lived conditions — health risks, schooling disruption, social stigma, exposure to violence.
- The institutional response — gaps in identification, referral, and reintegration.
- Policy-relevant recommendations for prevention, withdrawal, and family support.