DEATH

WHICH CHILDREN ARE MOST VULNERABLE?
Globally, boys outnumber girls in all sectors of work, with the exception of domestic work. 173 This is demonstrated for example
in Bangladesh where boys comprise about three quarters of all working children. 174 In Jordan, child labour is a phenomenon primarily
affecting male children. 175 However, it was reported that there are a large number of “home-bound” girls who are kept from education
and engage full time in household chores. 176 It is important to recognize that there are country contexts where almost the same numbers
of girls and boys are working, for example Myanmar 177 and South Sudan. It may be that globally it appears boys work more due to the
fact that girls’ work is both more hidden (as is the case in both domestic work and commercial sexual exploitation) or their productive
and income-generating activities are not perceived as work because they are more often in the private rather than the public sphere.
It has also been noted in some instances that rural children are much more likely to work and be out of school. 179 This may be because
there are fewer educational opportunities in rural areas, or a reduced awareness of the value of education.
URGENCY OF RESPONSE
The child protection system-building activities of community awareness and advocacy with government and trade unions may wait until
later in the early recovery phase of any humanitarian response. These initiatives may build upon any data gathered during the first phase
of the emergency.
36 A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH: CHILD PROTECTION IN EMERGENCIES