CHILD LABOUR: Ignorance is no excuse
There are people who till today don’t know that child labour is a form of child abuse; unfortunately, when the law takes its course, ignorance won’t be an excuse. It is important on the occasion of this year’s international day against child labour, JUNE 12 to sound the note of warning that child labour is classified as a form of child abuse and it is a criminal offence in Nigeria.
According to Unicef, child labour refers to work that children are too young to perform or that – by its nature or circumstances – can be hazardous. Unlike activities that help children develop (such as contributing to light housework or taking on a job during school holidays), child labour causes harm to a child’s health, safety or moral development.
Child labour can amount to slavery or practices similar to slavery, including the sale and trafficking of children. In some places, children may be forcibly recruited into armed conflict, used in the production and trafficking of drugs, or offered into prostitution.
Hazardous work refers to work that, by its nature or circumstances, is likely to harm children’s health, safety or moral development.
This includes anything that exposes children to physical, emotional or sexual abuse. It also has to do with working in an unhealthy environment, where children may be exposed to hazardous substances or processes, or to extreme temperatures or noise levels. And it’s work under particularly difficult conditions, like labouring long hours or overnight.
Child labour remains a persistent problem in the world today. The latest global estimates indicate that some 138 million children were engaged in child labour in 2024. Over a third of them – about 54 million – are in hazardous work that directly endangers their health and safety.
Child labour is most prevalent in low-income countries, Nigeria inclusive, yet more than half of all child labour occurs in middle-income countries. Globally, child labour is also more common in rural areas, with most child labour taking place in the agriculture sector.
Where is child labour declining?
The latest data show a total reduction of over 20 million children since 2020, reversing an alarming spike between 2016 and 2020. Despite this positive trend, the world has missed its target of eliminating child labour by 2025. And global estimates mask large variations across regions.
In Asia and the Pacific, child labour has trended downward in percentage and absolute terms since 2020. Latin America and the Caribbean witnessed a drop in the number of children affected, while the prevalence of child labour has stagnated. Sub-Saharan Africa continues to carry the heaviest burden, accounting for nearly two thirds of all children in child labour – around 87 million. While prevalence has fallen since 2020, the total number of children remains unchanged against a backdrop of population growth, ongoing and emerging conflicts, extreme poverty, and stretched social protection systems.
Some 61% of the children engaged in child labour worldwide are working on farms or in other agricultural activities. Most of this labour takes place as part of family subsistence and on smallholder farms. Another 27% of child labour is categorized as services, including domestic work, small-scale commerce and other activities. Industry, which includes construction, manufacturing and mining, makes up the remaining 13%.
The role of child labour in a country’s economy differs across regions. In sub-Saharan Africa, child labour remains overwhelmingly agricultural. In Northern Africa and Western Asia, children are as likely to be found selling goods, cleaning homes or performing other activities in the service sector as they are working on farms. Services are also more predominant in Latin America and the Caribbean and in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia. In Central and Southern Asia, slightly more than 25% of children in child labour is in industry (twice the global average), with a similar share in services.
Other forms of child abuse in Nigeria which could have severe and long-lasting impacts on a child’s physical, emotional, and psychological well-being include:
Physical Abuse: Inflicting physical harm or injury on a child, such as hitting, beating, burning, or biting. This can result in permanent or temporary damage to bones, brain, tissue, or organs.
Sexual Abuse: Forcing a child into sexual activities, including rape, molestation, or exploitation. This can lead to trauma, depression, guilt, and mental health disorders.
Emotional Abuse: Inflicting psychological harm or disturbing a child’s emotional state through verbal abuse, constant belittling, or excessive yelling.
Neglect: Failing to provide for a child’s basic needs, such as food, clothing, shelter, and medical care.
Female Genital Mutilation: A form of child abuse that involves mutilating or cutting female genitalia, often under unhygienic conditions.
Early Child Marriage: Giving out children for marriage at a young age, often without their consent.
Street Hawking: Forcing children to engage in street vending, exposing them to risks and dangers.
In Nigeria, there are several laws in place to protect children from abuse, exploitation, and violence. Some key laws include:
Child Rights Act 2003: Recognizes the rights of children to survival, care, love, education, dignity, and protection from all forms of abuse, including corporal punishment, child marriage, and betrothal.
Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015: Criminalizes various forms of violence against children, including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, and provides penalties for offenders.
Criminal Code Act 2004: Defines and punishes offenses such as sexual assault, inciting a child to commit a crime, and other forms of exploitation.
Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration 2015: Establishes severe penalties for trafficking offenses and protects vulnerable children.
Labour Act Cap L1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN), 2004: Prohibits children from working in industrial institutions or engaging in exploitative labour.
Cybercrimes Act: Protects children from online exploitation, including child pornography.
These laws provide a framework for protecting children’s rights and ensuring accountability for child abuse offenders. Some specific penalties for child abuse offenses in Nigeria include:
Up to 3 years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 for attempting to commit violence against a child.
Up to 2 years imprisonment or a fine of N100,000 for abandoning a child without means of sustenance.
Not less than 5 years imprisonment and a fine of not less than N1,000,000 for sexual exploitation of a child.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
To reduce or end child abuse in Nigeria, several measures can be taken, they include but not limited to the followings:
A. Government Initiatives
Implement and Monitor Child Rights Laws: Ensure the provisions of the Child Rights Act are fully implemented and monitored at all levels of government.
Enforce Strict Laws Against Child Labour: Enact and strictly enforce laws against child labour, including child hawking.
Amend Existing Child Protection Laws: Strengthen penalties for those found guilty of child abuse, child sexual exploitation, and child labour.
B. Community Awareness and Education
Public Education and Sensitization: Organize public education campaigns to raise awareness about child abuse and its effects.
Teacher Training: Equip teachers with best practices for preventing and responding to child sexual abuse.
Community Engagement: Engage with communities to change attitudes towards child abuse and promote reporting.
C. Support Services
Establish More Orphanage Homes: Provide safe havens for abused children.
Counselling and Medical Services: Offer counselling, medical evaluations, and forensic interviews for survivors.
Empowerment Programs: Provide vocational training and empowerment programs for victims.
D. Parental Guidance
Parental Connectedness: Foster open communication between parents and children.
Guidance and Supervision: Provide guidance and supervision to prevent abuse.
Sex Education: Educate children about appropriate boundaries and behaviours.
E. Collaboration and Partnerships
NGO Partnerships: Collaborate with NGOs to provide support services and raise awareness.
Funding and Support: Provide financial support.
For us at the INITIATIVE FOR PEACE AND COMFORT, child labour falls under our coverage as we engage in child rights and we have been involved in community awareness and education, we render support services such as counselling and we give financial supports where necessary. We are also open to partnership as we intensify our fight against child labour and all forms of abuse to create a safer environment for children in Nigeria.
Beautiful write up. We as humans should all kick against child labour and the world at large would be a better day.
Say no to child labour