Child labour

Child labour refers to work that harms children or keep them from attending school. Child labour is very common in many parts of Uganda today. 

Causes of child labour. 

Poverty: Many people in the community are low income earners. They cannot meet all the needs of the family members. They make their children work in order to get some money for survival. 

Unemployment: some adults in Uganda are unemployed. Yet the cost of living in high. People usually send their children to work so as to get what to eat. 

Parental Ignorance. Parents are ignorant about child labour. They do not know that children are not supposed to work for money. 

Access to free education is limited. Not all children for example at secondary level have a chance to access Universal Secondary Education. 

Illiterate parents. They do not have the ability to read about policies on child labour. 

Overpopulation in some areas has influenced child labour in such a way that essential needs are not enough for all the family members.

Types of child labour. 

Child labour is categorised as follows: 

Domestic services - children work in people's homes as house maids and houseboys. 

Trade - some children are involved in selling food items such as bananas, ground nuts, pancakes and tomatoes.
Providing labour on farms- children provide agricultural labour on people's farms. 

Factory labour - children provide labour in the manufacturing industry.

Effects of Child labour. 

(i) Children are prevented from attending school. 

(ii) The child I s mental, physical and emotional well being is threatened. 

(iii) Forced labour and child trafficking, tortures children psychologically. 

(v) The minimum age by law is violated. Children are not supposed to provide labour unless when they are above 18 years. 

(vi) Children are poorly paid for the heavy work done. People over work children and the pay is not worth the work they do.

Ways of controlling child labour. 

(i) Increase the access to education for all children. Let free education be provided to all children. 

(ii) Sensitise people on various economic activities which can be done to help them to increase family income. 

(iii) Eradicate poverty in the communities. Start programmes which can help people to fight poverty. 

(iv) Educate and train women in child rearing methods. This can help them care for their children better. 

(v) Enforce the laws against child labour. Punish all those who promote child labour in society. 

 Activity

1 . Imagine that you are the local council chairperson in charge of children's affairs. How would you fight child labour in the community? 

2. What is child labour? 

3. Give any two examples of child labour common in your local area.