NEARLY 62 percent of children aged five to 11 years old are involved in child labour in the country, a report into the 2015 Demographic and Health Survey (SIDHS 2015) has revealed.

The report which was launched yesterday states that 2 percent of these children are engaged in paid and/or economic work; and most of these are girls in rural areas.

“About 64 percent of girls aged five to 11 engage in one to more hours of work per week. Furthermore, 12 percent of children aged 12 to 14 are also reported to be involved in child labour.

“Children aged five to 11 were involved in at least one hour of economic work or 28 hours of domestic work per week; and children aged 12 to 14 were involved in at least 14 hour of economic work or 28 hours of domestic work per week.” The report’s summary findings stated.

The above finding are based on what the survey observed, and considered a child to be involved in child labour activities at the time of the survey if during the week preceding the survey and the following.

It highlighted that the most common discipline method used by mothers or caretakers is psychological aggression.

“78 percent of children received this disciplinary method, which includes being shouted at, yelled or screamed at, or given something else to do, while 68 percent received some form of physical punishment.

“Children living in rural areas, those living in lowest wealth quintile households, and those with mothers or caretakers who have little education are the most likely to experience or receive these forms of discipline,” it stated.

The Solomon Islands Demographic and Health Survey 2015 (SIDHS 2015) is a nationally representative survey of 6,266 women aged 15 to 49 and 3,591 men aged 15 to 54.

The final report was produced by the Solomon Islands National Statistics Office, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and the Pacific Community with more than 70 contributors and reviewers.