Student Memory Support
Topic 21 — Child Labor, Child Abuse and Public-Health Prevention
3rd Year MBBS • Community Medicine • High-yield memory reinforcement and rapid revision. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
1. High-Yield Flashcards
Tap each question to reveal the answer.
What makes work performed by a child qualify as child labour?
Work that is age-inappropriate, harmful, hazardous, exploitative, or interferes with education and normal development.
Is every task performed by a child considered child labour?
No. Safe, age-appropriate activity that does not interfere with schooling or development is not automatically child labour.
Which employment sector contributes the largest share of child labour globally?
Agriculture.
What is hazardous child labour?
Work likely to harm a child’s health, safety, or morals.
What is bonded child labour?
Compulsory work linked to debt or obligation in which the child is not genuinely free to leave.
What major educational consequence may result from child labour?
Poor attendance, reduced educational attainment, and school dropout.
What does IPEC stand for?
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour.
What is the major purpose of IPEC?
To strengthen national capacity and coordinated action for elimination of child labour.
What are the major forms of child abuse?
Physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
What is neglect in the context of child maltreatment?
Failure to provide necessary food, shelter, health care, education, supervision, protection, or emotional care.
Why do official figures underestimate the true burden of child abuse?
Many cases remain hidden or are never disclosed or reported to formal services.
What is primary prevention of child abuse?
Measures that prevent abuse before it occurs, such as family support, positive parenting, and safe environments.
What is secondary prevention of child abuse?
Early recognition of risk or warning signs followed by prompt support and referral.
What is tertiary prevention after child abuse has occurred?
Treatment, protection, psychological support, rehabilitation, and prevention of repeated harm.
2. Mnemonics
Mnemonic Title
Major Forms of Child Abuse
PENSE
Physical • Emotional • Neglect • Sexual • Exploitation
Mnemonic Title
Government Action Against Child Labour
LESSER
Law • Education • Social protection • Surveillance/inspection • Employment for adults • Registration of births
Mnemonic Title
Three Levels of Child-Abuse Prevention
PRE
Prevent before occurrence = Primary • Recognize risk early = Secondary • Enable recovery after harm = Tertiary
3. Memory Tables
Child Work vs Child Labour
| Feature | Acceptable Child Work | Child Labour |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | Safe and age-appropriate | Harmful or hazardous |
| Education | Schooling preserved | Schooling impaired |
| Development | Normal development preserved | Health or development threatened |
| Time demand | Limited | Excessive or disruptive |
Levels of Prevention of Child Abuse
| Level | When It Acts | Typical Action |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Before abuse | Parenting support, safe schools, social protection |
| Secondary | Risk or early warning signs | Early identification, counselling, referral |
| Tertiary | After maltreatment | Treatment, protection, rehabilitation, recurrence prevention |
4. Rapid Revision Points — Last-Minute Revision
Must Remember:
- Child labour is defined by harm, hazard, age-inappropriateness, exploitation, or interference with education.
- Agriculture contributes the largest global share of child labour.
- Hazardous child labour threatens health, safety, or morals.
- Bonded labour involves coercion linked to debt or obligation.
- Major effects include injury, exhaustion, poor education, psychological distress, and social disadvantage.
- Effective control requires legislation plus education, inspection, social protection, and family support.
- IPEC is the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour.
- Child abuse includes physical, emotional, sexual abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
- Reported child-abuse statistics underestimate the true burden because many cases remain hidden.
- Primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention differ mainly by the timing of intervention.
KMU Exam Trap: “IPEC 2011” should not be interpreted as the year IPEC was established; IPEC existed before 2011.
5. Clinical Memory Hooks
Long work hours + school dropout
→
Think child labour affecting education and development.
→
Think child labour affecting education and development.
Child handling pesticides or dangerous machinery
→
Think hazardous child labour.
→
Think hazardous child labour.
Repeated threats, humiliation, and rejection
→
Think emotional or psychological abuse.
→
Think emotional or psychological abuse.
Child disclosure without major visible injury
→
Take the disclosure seriously and assess the child’s safety.
→
Take the disclosure seriously and assess the child’s safety.
⭐ 6. Starred High-Yield Exam Points
- ⭐ Child labour: harmful or age-inappropriate work that interferes with health, development, or education.
- ⭐ Hazardous labour: work likely to damage health, safety, or morals.
- ⭐ IPEC: International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour.
- ⭐ Child abuse: physical, emotional, sexual abuse, neglect, and exploitation may occur separately or together.
- ⭐ Underreporting: formal statistics represent only part of the true burden of child maltreatment.
- ⭐ Prevention: primary prevents occurrence, secondary detects risk early, and tertiary reduces consequences and recurrence.