The International Labor Organization (ILO) states that most agricultural work carried out by children occurs within the family unit, is generally unpaid and often hazardous in its nature and/or in the circumstances in which it is carried out. At the same time, some scholars nuance this view by positing that children who work in agriculture in the spheres of their own household are not necessarily exploited. Making progress in addressing (worst forms of) child labor by value chain actors necessitates unpacking the complex dynamics, context and interlinkages that connect firms and farms at the local community level. This study responds to this call by proposing a new multidimensional perspective on child labor based on comparing and contrasting Global Value Chain (GVC) literature and the Sustainable Livelihood Approach (SLA). Adopting such a perspective allows for an explanation of both vertical dynamics, including global inter-firm linkages and power distribution, as well as horizontal dynamics, such as local norms and values, access to capitals and livelihood trajectories that contribute to the occurrence of child labor. This framework is illustrated by a case study on child labor in the cocoa value chain in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, based on information obtained from a variety of sources, including 38 key informant interviews, 12 focus group discussions and structural observations. This study shows that children are not only factors of production, but are socially embedded in family structures and local communities. Children participate in a wider range of rural and agricultural activities as part of rural upbringing and learning a livelihood, in which not only harms but also benefits can occur. These findings advance the discussion by moving away from a dichotomy on child labor as a good or bad practice and putting the development opportunities of children center stage.

国际劳工组织 (ILO) 指出，儿童从事的大部分农业工作都是在家庭单位内进行的，通常是无偿的，而且在其性质和/或工作环境方面往往是危险的。同时，一些学者认为在自己的家庭范围内从事农业工作的儿童不一定受到剥削，从而使这种观点变得微妙。价值链参与者在解决（最恶劣形式的）童工问题方面取得进展，需要解开在当地社区层面连接公司和农场的复杂动态、背景和相互联系。本研究响应这一呼吁，在比较和对比全球价值链 (GVC) 文献和可持续生计方法 (SLA) 的基础上，提出了关于童工的新多维视角。采用这种观点可以解释纵向动态，包括全球公司间的联系和权力分配，以及横向动态，例如导致童工现象发生的地方规范和价值观、获得资本的机会和生计轨迹. 该框架以加纳和科特迪瓦可可价值链中的童工案例研究为例，该研究基于从各种来源获得的信息，包括 38 次关键知情人访谈、12 次焦点小组讨论和结构观察。这项研究表明，儿童不仅是生产要素，而且还融入了家庭结构和当地社区。儿童参与更广泛的农村和农业活动，作为农村成长和学习谋生的一部分，其中不仅会产生危害，还会产生好处。这些发现通过摆脱将童工作为一种好坏做法的二分法而将儿童的发展机会置于中心位置，从而推动了讨论。