JOHN BAPTIST

As Uganda joins the rest of the world in commemorating World Child Labour Day, statistics still indicate an increase in the number of children involved in child labour despite the existence of laws.

According to the UBOS National Labour Force Survey of 2021, of the 15.7 million children in Uganda, 6.2 million were involved in child labour.

This worries experts calling for the government's collaboration with other stakeholders to eradicate the problem.

Uganda will tomorrow May 12th 2024 join the rest of the world in commemorating the 2024 World Day Against Child Labour under the theme; “Let us Act on our Commitment: End Child Labour.

Nevertheless, the latest findings from UBOS reveal a concerning reality. According to the report, a staggering 6.2 million children between the ages of 5 and 17 are engaged in child labour, excluding those involved in household chores.

This distressing situation continues to pose a significant obstacle for Uganda, particularly in rural regions. Notably, rural areas exhibit a higher prevalence of child labour, with rates reaching 42%, while urban areas experience a slightly lower rate of 32%, as explained by Amuriat. At a sub-regional level, Busoga and Bukedi emerge as areas with alarmingly high rates of 29% and 28% respectively.

Speaking to COU Family TV, Eligu Ronald the founder and manager of Touch the Slam an NGO dealing with girl children in Namuwongo revealed a few of the push and pull factors of child labour. Among these was, neglecting to prioritize social protection and poverty alleviation

He believes in several remedies to child labour more so the creation of awareness through dialogues and involvement of key stakeholders such as church leaders.

From the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, there seems light at the end of the tunnel with the government’s commitment to addressing child labour through policy, legal and Institutional framework, Wealth Creation Programmes and others.