By Tshepo -South Africa

On 12 June 2024, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and human rights advocates marked the World Day Against Child Labour.

Progress and Challenges
From 2000 to 2020, the number of children in child labour dropped by 85.5 million, going from 16% to 9.6%. However, since 2020, conflicts and crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, have pushed families into poverty, forcing more children into labour.

Current Statistics
Recent ILO and UNICEF data shows that around 160 million children worldwide are in child labour. This means 1 in 10 children. Africa has the highest number, with 1 in 5 children (72 million) affected.

Impact on Children
Child labour harms children’s health and blocks their education, keeping them in poverty. Girls suffer more, balancing school, work, and chores, which puts them at higher risk of falling behind and facing poverty.

Child Labour in Uganda
In 2023, 18% of children in Uganda were in child labour. Reasons include:

Death of parents
Physical and sexual abuse
Neglect
Parental alcohol abuse
Parental divorce
Extreme poverty and hunger
Poor grades leading to dropout
Child labour limits education and keeps children in poverty. Uganda’s surveys show that working children face more mental health issues, long hours, poor conditions, and violence. Some are trafficked into hazardous work, leading to sadness, loneliness, and suicidal thoughts.

Call to Action
PLATFORM for the NEEDY urges the Ugandan government to enforce the ILO Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labour and create policies to tackle root causes.

Our Work at PLANE
PLATFORM for the NEEDY helps keep Ugandan children in school by providing books, uniforms, paying fees, and offering other support.

Want to help? Click on the ‘donate’ tab above.