Analisis Praktik Pekerja Anak dalam Perkebunan Kelapa Sawit di Dusun Asamerah Desa Lubuk Mandarsah Kecamatan Tengah Ilir Provinsi Jambi

Abstract

This study aims to understand the reasons and factors behind child labor practices in the economic activities of oil palm plantations in Asamerah Hamlet, Lubuk Mandarsah Village, Tengah Ilir District, Jambi Province. The phenomenon of children's involvement in plantation work highlights the close connection between structural poverty, limited access to education, and weak supervision and enforcement of child protection laws. This research uses a qualitative approach with a descriptive method. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation involving 8 primary informants who are children, as well as 2 additional informants consisting of the children's parents and landowners.The findings reveal that children's involvement in oil palm plantation work generates emotional ambivalence—some feel proud for being able to help their parents, while others experience coercion, mental stress, and negative impacts on their education, physical health, and psychological well-being. Additionally, there is a gender-based division of labor, where boys tend to perform physically demanding tasks, while girls handle more detailed tasks but are also vulnerable to stress. The wages earned by these children are often used to meet household needs, creating economic dependence of families on children's income.Within the framework of Talcott Parsons' Structural Functionalism theory, this phenomenon reflects dysfunction in the social system, where institutions such as the family, school, and state fail to perform their functional roles in protecting and supporting children's development. This study recommends cross-sectoral collaboration between families, communities, and the government to create an environment that ensures the comprehensive protection and fulfillment of children's rights