Addressing child labour issue in Africa for a sustainable future

In the last four years, there has been a dramatic increase of 8.4 million children, bringing the total number of youngsters working in the world to 160 million, according to recent research by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF. COVID-19’s effects have also increased the risk of child labor for millions of children. The COVID-19 pandemic put an additional 9 million children at risk, and at the beginning of 2020, almost 160 million children were forced into child labor. Children are forced into labor for a variety of reasons, usually because their families are struggling financially or experiencing uncertainty. These issues can be brought on by poverty, a caregiver’s abrupt illness, or the termination of their principal source of income. This article will describe why child labor is a serious issue in African regions and how different actors are trying to solve it.

The situation of Child Labor in Africa

According to the 2016 Global Estimates of Child Labour, one-fifth of all children worldwide are involved in child labor in Africa. This ratio is more than twice as high as in any other region. Additionally, nine percent of youngsters in Africa labor in hazardous conditions, which is more than any other region in the world. With an estimated 72.1 million African youngsters working as children and 31.5 million doing dangerous employment, Africa is the region with the highest number of child laborers. The biggest percentage of child labor cases worldwide are in the agricultural sector. 85 percent of all child laborers, or about 61.4 million children, are employed in agriculture, specifically in Africa. Most child laborers in Africa do not receive money for their work and are not employees of outside employers; instead, they provide labor for family farms and small businesses.

Percentage of children aged 5 to 17 years engaged in child labour at the moment of the survey, by region

Data Source: https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/child-labour/

The fight against child labor appears to have stagnated in Africa. Contrary to the rest of the globe, where improvements persisted, child labor rose in Sub-Saharan Africa between 2012 and 2016, and this was true even after African governments there put specific measures in place to address the problem. Additionally, the region of Africa has had severe effects from state fragility and crises, which increase the danger of child labor.

UN Agenda for ending child labor

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030 were formally adopted by world leaders in 2015. SDG Target 8.7 specifically calls on governments to swiftly and effectively put measures in place to end forced labor, abolish modern slavery, end human trafficking, and guarantee the prevention and abolition of the most heinous forms of child labor, including recruiting and using child soldiers. The target also aims to eradicate child labor in all its forms by 2025. The Alliance is focused on accelerating timelines, conducting research, exchanging knowledge, fostering innovation, and mobilizing and leveraging resources in accordance with the interrelated SDGs. The ILO report, Abolishing child labor by 2025: A Review of Laws and Programs highlights the key policy goals on the path to the 2025 deadline for abolishing child labor. Ending child labor involves a multifaceted approach that addresses the economic, social, cultural, and legal circumstances that increase people’s vulnerability and enable abuses.

ILO missions in the region

The ILO provides technical advising services to ILO Constituents (governments, workers’ and employers’ organizations) and implements development cooperation initiatives to assist African nations in implementing ratified child labor Conventions. The issue of child labor in Africa still requires urgent attention, notwithstanding the major commitments and efforts implemented. This would entail giving more resources at the national, sub-regional, and regional levels while also assisting governments and social partners in speeding up and expanding programs. The ILO works to support the implementation of Alliance 8.7 projects throughout Africa. “Accelerating Action for the Elimination of Child Labour in Supply Chains in Africa (the ACCEL Africa Project)”, the ILO regional project serves as a noteworthy example of communal engagement and partnership in Africa. It works closely with the African Union Commission, supply chain actors, civil society organizations, and UN sister agencies like UNICEF to address the root causes of child labor in supply chains and find sustainable solutions.

Dealing with potential challenges for further progress

Accelerating efforts to combat child labor in Africa is essential if SDG Target 8.7 of eradicating all kinds of child labor by 2025 is to be met. African nations must deal with challenges associated with informality, broaden the scope of social protection, tighten the application of legal safeguards, increase access to free, high-quality basic education, and foster social discussion. Regrettably, the COVID-19 situation has severely hampered manufacturing operations, interrupted supply networks, and increased economic unrest. Given that roughly 85% of jobs in Africa are in the unorganized sector, there is a worrying expectation that there will be an increase in child labor as a result of closings of schools, significant income losses for parents during the pandemic, a lack of adequate social protection measures, and an increase in poverty levels.

Collective Action and future outlook

Large-scale ratification initiatives have successfully elevated the issue of child labor to the top of politicians and social partners’ attention, leading to significant advancements across Africa. Notable progress has been seen in several African countries. This development includes the creation of National Units for Combating Child Labor, the adherence of national legal frameworks to the Child Labour Conventions, the adoption of comprehensive national action plans to end child labor and the creation of local vigilance committees tasked with keeping an eye out for and reporting instances of child labor. Despite the fact that there is still much work to be done, the universal adoption of Convention 182 at the beginning of the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labor in 2021 highlights the need to keep up the momentum. To win the war against child labor and guarantee a better future for all of our children, all responsible actors have to work together to end child labor in practice. Individuals and business owners can contribute by practicing labor and child rights while activists and civil society organizations can work together with policymakers for the advocacy process. At the same time, governments and international organizations should work hand in hand to implement the required laws and actions. In this way, the target of abolishing child labor by 2025 can be met.