THE Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s disclosure that it has put in place several interventions to curb child labour in the country is gratifying.Child labour remains a big problem in Zambia and beyond.
The exploitation of children for economic gain remains widespread.
Children continue to be deprived of their childhood, education, and overall wellbeing.
And the factors driving child labour are numerous, but key among them is poverty.
About 430,000 children in the country are engaged in child labour. And over 58 percent of these are in rural areas.
As Minister of Labour and Social Security Brenda Tambatamba has observed, child labour is a scourge that is of great concern to the Government of Zambia because of its negative impact on the long-term development goals of the country.
As a country, we have a sacred duty to protect our children and to ensure that they have the opportunity to develop their full potential. Children must be allowed to be children. They must be allowed to play, grow and learn in a conducive environment.
Child labour robs children of their childhood and alters the course of a country’s development trajectory.
It is therefore heart-warming that the Government is implementing various measures to eliminate it.
The implementation of the 2020-2025 National Action Plan for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour and the strengthening of the national steering committee on child labour, in addition to other measures, will go a long way in removing children from the clutches of child labour and putting them in classrooms. The ratification by the Government of such international conventions as the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Minimum Age Convention and the Convention on the Rights of the Child is another demonstration of its commitment to combating child labour.
In 2003, Zambia developed the National Child Labour Policy aimed at eradicating all forms of child labour by 2025.
Additionally, the Government has created the National Child Labour Committee to coordinate efforts across different sectors and ensure a holistic approach to tackling child labour.
And by expanding educational opportunities, the Government aims to reduce the economic incentives for children to engage in labour and break the cycle of poverty that it imposes on them.
Education is a central focus of the Zambian government’s efforts to combat child labour. The reintroduction of free education is a direct assault on child labour. It ensures that all children of school-going age are in school.
The Government has further introduced school feeding programmes to cater for very vulnerable children who may want to be in school but are too hungry to attend classes. Such programmes have been instrumental in addressing the socio-economic factors driving child labour.
We agree with Ms Tambatamba that ensuring that children are not part of
the employment circle and supply chain is everyone’s responsibility. Her call for Government to forge partnerships with employers and unions to ensure that our children are protected from child labour is timely.
Seeing that more than 50 percent of children engaged in child labour are in rural areas, we call on the Government to engage traditional leaders. Chiefs and headmen are uniquely positioned to curb child labour in their respective chiefdoms and villages. They can play a pivotal role in ensuring that children are withdrawn from child labour activities and put in school.
Government’s establishment of district labour committees and the enactment of the of Children’s Code Act in August last year are other measures that have enhanced the protection of children against various vices, including child labour.
But as Ms Tambatamba noted, addressing child labour requires concerted efforts from all the stakeholders.
The call to end child labour is indeed everyone’s call.
Call to end child labour for everyone
THE Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s disclosure that it has put in place several interventions to curb child labour in the country is gratifying.Child labour remains a big problem in Zambia and beyond.
The exploitation of children for economic gain remains widespread.
Children continue to be deprived of their childhood, education, and overall wellbeing.
And the factors driving child labour are numerous, but key among them is poverty.
About 430,000 children in the country are engaged in child labour. And over 58 percent of these are in rural areas.
As Minister of Labour and Social Security Brenda Tambatamba has observed, child labour is a scourge that is of great concern to the Government of Zambia because of its negative impact on the long-term development goals of the country.
As a country, we have a sacred duty to protect our children and to ensure that they have the opportunity to develop their full potential. Children must be allowed to be children. They must be allowed to play, grow and learn in a conducive environment.
Child labour robs children of their childhood and alters the course of a country’s development trajectory.
It is therefore heart-warming that the Government is implementing various measures to eliminate it.
The implementation of the 2020-2025 National Action Plan for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour and the strengthening of the national steering committee on child labour, in addition to other measures, will go a long way in removing children from the clutches of child labour and putting them in classrooms. The ratification by the Government of such international conventions as the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Minimum Age Convention and the Convention on the Rights of the Child is another demonstration of its commitment to combating child labour.
In 2003, Zambia developed the National Child Labour Policy aimed at eradicating all forms of child labour by 2025.
Additionally, the Government has created the National Child Labour Committee to coordinate efforts across different sectors and ensure a holistic approach to tackling child labour.
And by expanding educational opportunities, the Government aims to reduce the economic incentives for children to engage in labour and break the cycle of poverty that it imposes on them.
Education is a central focus of the Zambian government’s efforts to combat child labour. The reintroduction of free education is a direct assault on child labour. It ensures that all children of school-going age are in school.
The Government has further introduced school feeding programmes to cater for very vulnerable children who may want to be in school but are too hungry to attend classes. Such programmes have been instrumental in addressing the socio-economic factors driving child labour.
We agree with Ms Tambatamba that ensuring that children are not part of
the employment circle and supply chain is everyone’s responsibility. Her call for Government to forge partnerships with employers and unions to ensure that our children are protected from child labour is timely.
Seeing that more than 50 percent of children engaged in child labour are in rural areas, we call on the Government to engage traditional leaders. Chiefs and headmen are uniquely positioned to curb child labour in their respective chiefdoms and villages. They can play a pivotal role in ensuring that children are withdrawn from child labour activities and put in school.
Government’s establishment of district labour committees and the enactment of the of Children’s Code Act in August last year are other measures that have enhanced the protection of children against various vices, including child labour.
But as Ms Tambatamba noted, addressing child labour requires concerted efforts from all the stakeholders.
The call to end child labour is indeed everyone’s call.