Though the fight against child labour has become more widely spread all over the world, there is still a lot of work to be done. Today, 160 million children are still engaged in child labour – some as young as 5. (United Nations).
Child labour involves children being forced to work like adults and take part in economic activity. They are engaged in work that is mentally, physically, socially, or morally dangerous and harmful, leading to deprivation in their childhood. Child labour is fundamentally different from casual work done by children, like helping out their parents or the significant adults in their lives here and there.
We join the world to call out for the establishment of functional social protection systems to address these issues of child labour. Research has it that as of 2020 and before the COVID-19 crisis took hold, only 46.9 percent of the global population were effectively covered by at least one social protection benefit while the remaining 53.1 percent – as many as 4.1 billion people – were left wholly unprotected. Coverage for children is even lower. Nearly three-quarters of children, 1.5 billion, lacked social protection. (United Nations).
In our country Nigeria, child labour seems to have come to stay. Much of child labor is a direct result of Nigeria’s extreme poverty, which accounts for around 70% of the nation’s population living below the poverty line, according to the CIA World Factbook. Recent findings by Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development found that about 17.5 million children become orphans or enter similarly vulnerable situations throughout the country. Such children are exposed to hazardous work, dangerous environments, and negative elements on the streets or in their workplace. Many children have been maimed or lost their lives in the process. Estimates determine that the current number of child workers in Nigeria is 15 million according to the International Labor Organization (ILO). At a staggering 43% of the total population of minors, it is the highest recorded rate of child labor in Western Africa. And around 30% of child workers do not receive compensation and must work against their will. Children often drop out of school, or due to the rigid demands of a long workday, school often becomes less of a priority. The lack of a proper education ensures they will remain unskilled laborers into adulthood, making it nearly impossible to escape the cycle of poverty. The Bureau of International Labor Affairs reports only 76% of children in total go to school, and about 27% of child laborers attend school in addition to work. Some reports have stated that certain schools exploit their students and make them work or beg during school hours to earn money for teachers. Also, the government response has been underwhelming. New hope for relief on the child labor front occurred when the government signed the Child Rights Act into effect in 2003. Unfortunately, the government has put little effort forth toward ending the practice since its ratification. Many experts believe there will be no true resolution until the government steps in with not only stricter regulations, but absolute enforcement. Children are society’s most vulnerable people. With no voice to advocate for their rights, they are in a poor position to influence political policy (10 Facts About Child Labor in Nigeria).
As all stakeholders involved with children play their part in the fight against child labor, it is important that the government that is at the forefront of policy-making and has a responsibility to care for its people rise up to their responsibilities, and have a working system for social protection, especially for children, ensure that policies for the safeguarding of children, and especially against child labour are being implemented accordingly.
We have a future to preserve. Our children are our future. Let’s create sustainable social protection systems for our children. Let’s end child labour.
#End child Labour
#June12
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