Child Activity Survey 2016
Sri Lanka, 2016
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LKA_2016_CAS_v01_M
Child Activity Survey 2016
CAS 2016
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | LKA |
Child Labor Survey [hh/cls]
Child labour, when the numbers are small and especially when it is not concentrated, is hardly visible. It is observed that the traditional survey instruments, such as Population & Housing surveys and Labour Force surveys do not fully capture such situations, as the main objectives of those surveys are not focused on child labour issues. Therefore, to investigate all aspects of child labour,special survey approaches are required.
Therefore, only a specially designed survey, employing highly trained survey enumerators, withclose monitoring could bring out the salient facts of the child labour and its related issues. The Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) was therefore, entrusted with the task of conducting the first survey of this nature in Sri Lanka in 1999, for the assessment of child labour and connectedissues through the project, International Program on the Elimination of Child Labour(IPEC),sponsored by the International Labour Organization (ILO). The second survey of the series was conducted in 2008/09.
More recently, in 2015 the Government of Sri Lanka through the Ministry of Labour and Trade Union Relations, recognized the necessity to update this survey, and hence the DCS was requested to update the earlier survey to reflect the current situation on child labour in Sri Lanka.
Having recognised the importance of this task, the DCS amidst its regular scheduled work programs, agreed to conduct a child activity survey for Sri Lanka during the period of 2015-2016.
Accordingly, during year 2015 DCS conducted some of the preliminary activities associated with the survey such as sample design, questionnaire design, pilot survey, etc. The data collection and the data analysis of the survey were done in 2016.
At the survey planning stage, DCS referred previous survey reports and the “Manual on Data Collection through surveys” prepared by the Statistical Information and Monitoring Programme on Child Labour (SIMPOC), which is the statistical research unit of IPEC. The relevant acts,regulations and reports published on child labour activities in Sri Lanka were referred during implementing the survey. For example, the Hazardous Occupations regulations published by the gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Extraordinary) dated 20.08.2010 was used to define the classification of the Hazardous type of labour. The Child Activity Survey 2016 collected information of children on demographic, educational,economic activities they engage-in, day-to-day household activities (household chores), health and security as well as the attitude of parents towards the child labour.
Objectives of the Survey
The main objective of the survey was to capture all activities children engaged in and then to estimate the child labour situation in Sri Lanka using this information within the agreed definition of “Child Labour” and considering the Act and regulations currently prevailing in the country.
Content and coverage
The Survey questionnaire 2016, that was used to collect information from households has seven broad sections (see annexed questionnaire at the end of the report), as listed below. The previous survey questionnaire (2008/2009) was further improved by including more answer options that are possible and some new questions were introduced considering user requests.
Section A : Demographic Characteristics of Household Members
Section B : Activity Status of Children (for children 5 – 17 years old)
Section B1 : Current Economic Activity (for children 5 – 17 years old)
Section B2 : Unemployment (for children 5 – 17 years old)
Section B3 : Usual Economic Activity Status (for children 5 – 17 years old)
Section B4 : Housekeeping Activities/ household chores(for children 5 – 17 years old)
Section B5 : Usual Residence of Child’s Parents
Section C : Health and Safety (for children aged 5 – 17 years, who have workedat any time during last week or during last 12 months)
Section D : Children who are living away from the household/family(for children 5 – 17 years old)
Section E : Perception of Parents/Guardians of the currently working child (Thisincludes all children in the age group 5 – 17 years who usually live in the household and Children who are members of this household but live elsewhere. However, boarders and servants who live in the household are not included here.)
Section F : Housing and Household Characteristics
Section G : Information about Migration of Household
Sample survey data [ssd]
- Child aged between 5 and 17 yrs
- Household where the child lives
Version
V 01
Scope
Survey Population
Detailed information on children in the broad age group 5-17 years were collected in this survey. However, as children engaged hazardous work is analysed in detail for different age groups, the relevant estimates were separately produced for respective age groups, Based on the ILO Minimum Age Convention, 1973(no.138) child labour assumes a minimum age for light work at 12years and for minimum age for admission into regular employment at 15 years. Accordingly estimating the global incidence of child labour the ILO uses three age categories
(i) 5- 11 years
(ii) 12- 14 years
(iii)15- 17 years
These are the age groups considered in previous surveys and the age thresholds are linked to primary school/ middle school/ minimum age of entry to employment. Also these are the age groups used in many other countries to explain child activities. This survey enumerates the child population through a general household sample and hence only children living in households were covered in the survey specially to estimate child labour conditions. However, some information
about the children who are members of the household and live away from the household was also collected. Thus, children living on the streets, institutions, workplace or those who have no identified shelter were not covered in the survey.
Coverage
National coverage
Child Population in Sri Lanka
Producers and sponsors
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Department of Census & Statistics | Ministry of Finance |
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Census & Statistics | Ministry of Finance | Data collection,analysing and publishing |
| International Labour Organization |
| Name | Abbreviation |
|---|---|
| United States Department of Labor | USDL |
Sampling
Sample Design
As in many other household surveys this survey also uses a multistage stratified area probability sample design. The survey uses a two stage stratified sampling design. At the first stage, Census Blocks (census enumeration areas) are selected as primary sampling units PSUs. The CAS 2016 uses 2500 PSUs. At the second stage, ten housing units are selected from each selected PSU as the secondary sampling units (SSUs). The CAS 2016 uses 25000 SSUs.
Sampling Frame
At the time of the Census of Population & Housing - 2012, Sri Lanka was divided in to approximately 65,000 census enumeration areas (called census blocks) mainly for the convenience of Census enumeration. Before the Census enumeration, all the building units located in these census blocks are listed and the Census was conducted by using these lists of building units prepared at the listing stage. This completed list of census blocks is used as the sampling frame for the household sample surveys conducted by DCS. Usually, the selected census blocks for the survey are updated by making adjustments; in order to accommodate material changes that took place during the period 2012 to 2014. The updated list of housing units in 2014 is used to select the
housing units for the CAS 2016.
Sample Size
It was proposed that, on completion of the Child Activity Survey, the estimates provided should classify the children in major age groups (5-11 years, 12-14 years, 15-17 years) according to Rural /Urban residency, and also that the estimates should classify the activities broadly by status of school attendance as below;
i.Attending school only
ii.Attending school and engaging in economic activities
iii.Attending school and engaging in housekeeping activities
iv.Attending school, engaging in economic and housekeeping activities
v.Not attending school and engaging in economic activities only
vi.Not attending school and engaging in housekeeping activities only
vii.Not attending school, engaging in economic and housekeeping activities
In order to achieve the objectives, it was decided that the survey should be based on a national sample of 25,000 households2. It should be noted that estimates based on sample surveys are always subject to sampling errors and therefore, it is not possible to obtain estimates at every desired level.
Estimates at lower geographical levels such as Province, District, Sector will be provided when such estimates are feasible subject to the relevant sampling errors.
Stratification
Primary objective of the stratification is to improve the precision of the survey estimates. Usually, the stratification partitions the units in the population into mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive subgroups or strata. Separate samples are then drawn from each stratum. In addition, the stratification offers administrative convenience and guarantees the representation of important survey domains and sub-populations.
Sri Lanka has twenty-five administrative Districts and DCS has a complete network with all these Districts through the district statistics offices in each District. In many occasions, separate statistics are required at District level for policymaking and decision making at the district level. Considering these, as in many other household surveys the twenty-five Districts are the first level of stratification. Under each district there are three residential sectors namely Urban, Rural and Estate.As in other countries, Urban and Rural sectors have been identified using their socio-economiccharacteristics. However, Estate is a special residential sector for Sri Lanka, which is related tocountry's formal plantation sector and the people who are living and working in these areas. In agiven district, people living in each of these three sectors could be considered to have homogeneouscharacteristics endemic to those sectors. Therefore, the second stage stratification is the sectors in each district. Since there are twenty-five districts in the survey domain we should have 75 strata altogether. However, there are four districts (namely Mullaitivu, Killinochchi, Monaragala andPollonnaruwa) with no identifiable Urban sector and eight districts (namely Jaffna, Mannar,Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Killinochchi, Batticaloe, Amparan and Trincomalee) with no Estate sector.
Hence, finally sixty-three strata are identified for sample selection.
Primary Sample Allocation and Selection
Two thousand five hundred (2,500) Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) that is sample of 2,500 census blocks were allocated among the 63 strata defined earlier, proportionately to the number of housing units in each stratum (method of probability proportionate to size).
Secondary sample selection
Housing units are the Secondary Sampling Units (SSUs) of the survey. Ten SSUs were chosen from each selected PSU using systematic sampling method. The random start for the selecting process was generated through a computerized programme developed by the DCS. When the total number of housing units in a selected PSU was fewer than 10, then all housing units in that PSU were selected for the survey.
Refer page 16 in final report of the survey.
Please refer page numbers 19 and 23 of annual report for weighting procedure.
Survey instrument
PAPI (Paper and Pencil Interviewing) method was used to collect data using a household questionnaire. First the basic demographic information (Section A) of all the person living in the sample households is recorded in the questionnaire and then the enumerator is directed to collect the relevant information from all the children in the age group of 5-17 years, living in the household.
Data collection
| Start | End |
|---|---|
| 2016-01-17 | 2016-05-14 |
- Face-to-face [f2f]
| Name | Affiliation | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Census & Statistics | Ministry of Finance | DCS |
Field data collection activities of the survey were undertaken by Statistical officers and Statistical assistants under the
supervision of Senior Statisticians and Statisticians of the DCS.
Field enumeration of the Child Activity Survey was carried out during the period from third week of January 2016 to second week of May 2016. To manage office responsibilities and to minimize fatigue among the survey staff, breaks were given at regular intervals to avoid the survey staff from being continuously on the field for longer periods of time.
Appointment of survey Staff and Training
With a view of completing survey field enumeration within the scheduled time period, altogether fifteen survey teams were appointed, each consisting of five field enumerators and a supervisor.
Complete attention was given to ensure that the staffs appointed to the survey field enumeration (including supervisors) are experienced permanent staff members of the DCS. Training was provided to the survey staff including supervisors, covering all the aspects of survey before the commencement of survey fieldwork. This training was provided to the survey staff in batches and each training program was being conducted two-day period of time. Survey field work was commenced simultaneously in all districts of Sri Lanka, with each team covering a selected number of districts.
Field Management of the Survey
- Managing the Logistics
A Supervisor was appointed in charge of every survey team and it was the responsibility of the supervisor to manage all aspects of the survey team including the supply of logistics. A vehicle was provided for each team supervisor for the team’s travelling requirements. However, members ofeach survey team were expected to have common accommodation during the survey time in orderto facilitate standard quality and consistency in the measures adopted. The supervisor was expected to manage the logistics of the place, where the team had their common accommodation. - Survey Management
The list containing sample housing units of the sample census blocks were issued to the supervisors, along with the maps providing directions of access to sample census blocks. It was the responsibility of the supervisor to assign sample housing units among his/ her team members for enumeration and the supervisor was also expected to visit the sample housing units with the respective team members as an observer. Supervisors had been instructed to note down the
weaknesses of the enumerators by taking turns as an observer with each and every enumerator. At the end of each day’s work, the supervisor had to initiate discussions on the enumerators’ day performance with the view of overcoming the issues to achieve team objectives. A common place Survey Methodology.
of accommodation was essential for such discussions and it was also the responsibility of the supervisor to handle, non- responding units, differed interviews etc.
Data processing
Field Editing and Coding
Arrangements were also made to complete the editing and coding of the field questionnaires while the survey team was still in the field. Field enumerators took turns as the Field Editor in performing this operation. At the end of each day’s work, the supervisor reviewed the field editor’s work and the remaining issues were discussed with the other team members. However, if and when the supervisor feels that clarification or information is required on certain situations, the supervisor was to decide the repetitions of visits to such households in seeking clarifications or information.All these measures were adopted to maintain high quality of collected data. Senior officers of the DCS, visited the survey teams at regular intervals to ensure the progress of the survey and they formed a conduit to brief the Director General of Census & Statistics on the progress of the survey.
Data appraisal
In order to achieve the objectives, it was decided that the survey should be based on a national sample of 25,000 households. It should be noted that estimates based on sample surveys are always subject to sampling errors and therefore, it is not possible to obtain estimates at every desired level.
Estimates at lower geographical levels such as Province, District, Sector will be provided when such estimates are feasible subject to the relevant sampling errors.
Data Access
| Name | Affiliation | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director General | Department of Census and Statistics | http//:www.statistics.gov.lk | dgcensus@statistics.gov.lk |
| Is signing of a confidentiality declaration required? | Confidentiality declaration text |
|---|---|
| yes | Under the Statistical ordinance, micro data cannot be released with identifications for public use. Procedures are in place toensure that information relating to any particular individual person, household or undertaking will be kept strictly confidentialand will not be divulged to external parties. Information on individual or individual Household / establishment will not bedivulged or published in such a form that will facilitate the identification of any particular person or establishment as the data have been collected under the Census/Statistical ordinance, according to which the information at individual level cannot bedivulged and such information is strictly confidential. |
The dataset has been anonymized and is available as a Public Use Dataset. It is accessible to all for statistical and researchpurposes only, under the following terms and conditions:
- The data and other materials will not be redistributed or sold to other individuals, institutions, or organizations without thewritten agreement.
- The data will be used for statistical and scientific research purposes only. They will be used solely for reporting ofaggregated information, and not for investigation of specific individuals or organizations.
- No attempt will be made to re-identify respondents, and no use will be made of the identity of any person or establishmentdiscovered inadvertently.
- No attempt will be made to produce links among datasets provided by the Department or among data from the Department and other datasets that could identify individuals or organizations.
- Any books, articles, conference papers, theses, dissertations, reports, or other publications that employ data obtained from the Department will cite the source of data in accordance with the Citation Requirement provided with each dataset.
- An electronic copy of all reports and publications based on the requested data will be sent to the Department
The following rules apply to micro data released by the Department of Census and Statistics.
• Only the requests of Government Institutions, Recognized Universities, Students, and selected international agencies are entertained. However, the Data users are required to strictly adhere to the terms stipulated in the agreement form.
All the data requests should be made to Director General (DG) of the DCS as the sole authority of releasing data is vested with the DG, DCS. DCS of Sri Lanka reserves sole right to approve or reject any data request made depending on the confidential nature of the data set and intended purpose of the study or analysis.
• Requests for micro data should be made through the agreement form designed by DCS for this purpose (Form D.R.1). The agreement form should be filled in triplicate and the Study/project proposal should accompany the filled agreement form. If requests are made for the micro data of more than one survey, a separate agreement should be signed.
• If the data request is from a student a letter from the respective Dept. Head/Dean/Supervisor, recommending the issue of data, should also be accompanied.
• The released Data file should be used only for the specific study/Analysis mentioned in the agreement form and shall notbe used for any other purpose without the prior approval of the Director General of the DCS. Moreover, Copies of the microdata file, obtained from the DCS, shall not be given to anyone else without the prior written approval of the Director General of the DCS.
• The draft report of the Study/Analysis should be submitted to the DCS and the concurrence of the DG, DCS, should be obtained before publishing it. Once published, a copy of the final report should be submitted to the DCS.
[Department : The Department of Census and Statistics] Source : http://www.statistics.gov.lk/databases/data%20dissemination/DataDissaPolicy_2007Oct26.pdf
Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka Child Activity Survey - 2016, Version 1.0 of the public use dataset (January 2016), provided by the National Data Archive, Data Processing Division, www.statistics.gov.lk"
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The Department of Census and Satatistics bears no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the secondary use of the data.
(C) 2020, Department of Census and Statistics
Contacts
| Name | Affiliation | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Unit | Department of Census & Statistics | information@statistic.gov.lk | http//:www.statistics.gov.lk |
| Sample Survey Division | Department of Census & Statistics | sample.survey@statistics.gov.lk | http//:www.statistics.gov.lk |
Metadata production
DDI_LKA_2016_CAS_v01_M
| Name | Abbreviation | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department Census & Statistics | DCS | Ministry of Finance | Data Collection |
2021-01-05
Metadata version
Identical to DDI-LKA-DCS-CAS-2016-V01 downloaded from http://nada.statistics.gov.lk/index.php/catalog/446 on 2023-09-01.
Edited fields: studyIDNo and DDI document IDNo.