‘A ban on child labor in Africa is not enough’

Many children in Africa have to work as domestic help, on plantations or in prostitution to survive. They are robbed of their childhood and guaranteed a life in poverty if they are kept out of school… You only have to take a short walk on the streets of Maiduguri, in northern Nigeria, to meet scores of children like Ali Usman, all trying to make a living. Ali roams the streets in dirty clothes, polishing strangers' shoes. His parents were killed by Boko Haram, and he takes care of himself and a sibling. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, 50.8% of Nigeria's children work full time.

Child labour has many faces. "They include dangerous, exploitative or physically demanding work," says Ninja Charbonneau of the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF. "Forced labor, prostitution and work in gold mines are just a few examples." Most of the children in Africa work in agriculture and livestock farming, as well as in small family businesses. Child labor often goes unpaid. "The damage the children suffer is enormous. It means the end of their childhood," says Charbonneau. "The children cannot grow up in a normal and carefree way, as is their right. Often they do not go to school, which only reinforces the vicious circle." Without education, the children will be less able to get well-paid jobs. "It reduces their chances to get out of poverty, and this will perpetuate itself throughout generations."

…Africa's fight against child labor appears to be stagnating. According to UNICEF, the number of working minors increased between 2012 and 2016 — despite measures taken by African governments to fight child labor. "Many factors play a role here," says Charbonneau, "but the main reason is the sluggish economic development of many countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Another factor is conflict. In countries with conflicts, we habitually observe an increase of children who have to work. Whether in Mali, Somalia or Sudan, growing poverty forces children to help secure their family's livelihood." Many displaced families lose their income, especially if the main breadwinner is killed or gets separated from the rest of the family...Charbonneau highlights four approaches: "First you need to create effective legislation to prohibit child labor in its hardest forms and really enforce the ban." Secondly, the circumstances for families as a whole must be improved. "For example, there must be social protection in the event that both parents are unemployed. Parents need fair job opportunities and fair pay so that the children do not have to work in the first place." In addition, there must be free and high-quality educational opportunities for the children so that they remain in school.