Much of this work threatens a number of child rights including the right to education, to health, to recreation and the right to freedom from harmful child work. Very little is known, however, about the nature of children s shrimp work or how important their income from this industry is to poor households. Children's work in the shrimp industry is threatened by possible US legislation banning the important of goods made by children, and by changes in methods of shrimp production encouraged by EU regulations. Past experience within the garments sector in Bangladesh suggests that the removal of children from one profession will not necessarily improve their lives and may instead push them into more harmful occupations. A deeper understanding of the dynamics of poverty and children's shrimp work is needed to help prevent well-meaning policy initiatives from having an unintended negative effect on children.
Many girls work in processing depots where sexual abuse is prevalent.
This can ruin their reputations, destroy marriage prospects and damage vital inter-household networks which are facilitated by marriage, as well as harming girls psychologically. Not all children work in the shrimp industry because of poverty, but it does offer employment to girls who have very limited income opportunities in rural areas. The pay, although poor, is comparatively better than in other jobs. Child shrimp work does add significantly to household income through cash and kind payments which are often used to buy essential food items and to pay for the schooling of non-working children. However, the work can often pay for schooling.