Agness Nandutu & Jane Nafula
16 January 2006
Mukono — AT least 2.7 million children in Uganda are labourers, an International Labour Organisation (ILO) consultant has said.
Mr James Lambert, who is also a consultant with the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), said child labourers in Uganda constitute 34.2 percent of children between the age of 5 years and 17 years, while 54 percent are between 10 years and 14 years.
Lambert was on January 10 addressing participants at a three-day training workshop at Ridar Hotel in Mukono District.
It was aimed at increasing the capacity of actors and their organisations to promote child participation in the fight against child labour using the ILO/IPEC supporting Children's Rights through Education, Arts, and the Media (Scream)pack.
Scream is an acronym for Supporting Children's Rights Through Education, Arts and the media to eliminate child labour.
The workshop was organised by the African Network for Prevention and Protection of Children Against Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN) in Collaboration with the Rural Development Media Communicatios (Rudmec).
Lambert said globally, it is estimated that 246 million children are involved in child labour. According to ILO, child labour refers to work that is mentally, physically, socially and morally damaging and harmful to a child.
He proposed that the government should make education compulsory for school going age children to keep them busy at school and protect them from being exploited.
"Compulsory education is an important step in eliminating child labour.It has worked in different countries including Latin America, Zambia and Asia
Lambert said the majority of child labourers work in agriculture, construction, sales services and manufacturing sectors.
He said other worst forms of child labour include, offering children for illicit activities like, prostitution, slavery, and conflicts among others. He condemned the actions, saying they deprive children of their childhood lifestyle, damage their education, enslave them, separate and undermine sustainable development.
Speaking at the same workshop, ANPPCAN's Programme Officer in Charge of Organisational Development Timothy Opobo said absolute poverty being experienced by several house holds had forced children to become vulnerable to child labour in Uganda.
"Poverty stands out to be paramount although the effects of armed conflicts and HIV/Aids cannot be ruled out," Opobo said.
He, however, said ANPPCAN had set up groups in the districts of Kasese Jinja, Arua, Mukono, Wakiso and Rakai to act as watchdogs on child labour.
Opobo said the groups' responsibility is to report any one who attempts to exploit children to relevant authorities.
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