Factores socioeconómicos asociados al trabajo infantil y la asistencia escolar en Colombia

Abstract

This article analyzes the socioeconomic determinants of child labor and school attendance in Colombia. Using the 2011 National Child Labor Survey, the paper estimates three bivariate probit models (rural, urban, and total), where the work and study decisions of minors are explained by individual, family, and social environment factors. Our results validate the substitution axiom and demonstrate the existence of a trade-off between child labor and school attendance. They also demonstrate a strong gender gap against boys and establish that the well-being of children diminishes when their parents are very young.