PREVALENCE OF CHILD LABOUR

Dec 19, 2018 Editorial

A recent study by the International Labour Organization (ILO) found that child labour is prevalent in many countries, especially the developing ones, including Guyana, with high poverty and poor schooling opportunities. While the problem may not appear to be widespread here, there are instances of children engaged in child labour that should be highlighted.
While there is no accurate data on the number of children affected by child labour in the country, due to its remote areas, it is estimated that approximately 3.3 percent of our school population are working children. They may be involved in domestic work, agriculture farming, mining, fishing, forestry, livestock, production and sale, garbage scavenging, commercial sexual exploitation and illicit activities including crime, the illegal sale of drugs and gang warfare.
Child Labour is a pervasive issue worldwide. Children work for a variety of reasons, the main being poverty, and the induced pressure to escape it has subjected them to a life of exploitation that has stymied their development. In other words, children work not only for their own survival, but also to help support their families, most of whom are poor.
Child Labour abuses the right of children, robs them of their childhood, dignity and potential. It interferes with their ability to attend school and impairs their mental, social, physical and psychological development. It is dangerous and exploitative.
In its most extreme forms, child labour involves children being enslaved, separated from their families, and exposed to serious health hazards and illnesses, and who are left to fend for themselves on the streets often at a very young age.
Child Labour may result in a plethora of economic and social issues that could be costly to the country. They include accidents and injuries at the workplace and the sexual abuse and exploitation of girls, which often causes unwanted pregnancies, risky abortions, sexual transmitted diseases, alcoholism, abuse of illegal substances and social exclusion.
In its pursuit to eradicate child Labour by 2025, the current government, unlike its predecessor, has made a moderate advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labour in the country. It has reorganized the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on combating Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and has established a National Action Plan and Policy on Child Labour. It has enacted a policy to address the most vulnerable areas of the country that are disproportionately affected by child Labour and has enacted laws to arrest and charge the perpetrators who prey on the vulnerabilities of children.
Despite these efforts, the scourge continues, because the process of enforcing the legislation seems very difficult, especially in the hinterland areas. However, the government has reassured the public of its commitment to eradicate child labour and has promised to work with all stakeholders to effectively accelerate progress.
Unfortunately, a report issued by the U.S. State Department states that while Guyana has made some strides in eradicating child labour, it does not yet have a comprehensive policy to tackle the problem or social programmes to fully address the extent of it.
The report also cited a series of gaps in the legislation which do not fully protect children, such as the lack of properly trained law enforcement personnel and agencies, as well as insufficient funds to enforce the laws. That said, Guyana is not the only country grappling with child Labour.
The UN estimates that there are more than 300 million children – ages seven to 16 years old – involved in child labour in various parts of the world, with Sub-Saharan Africa accounting for almost 50 percent of it.

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