Child labour in agric, major challenge in W’Africa
[ad_1]
The Federal Government has raised the alarm over the persistent issue of child labour in the agricultural sector, describing it as a significant challenge across West Africa.
Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, made this known on Wednesday at the inaugural Economic Community of West African States Child Labour Experts Annual Review Meeting in Abuja.
Onyejeocha said that children in the region often endure long working hours in hazardous conditions, depriving them of their fundamental rights to education, health, and a childhood free from exploitation.
“Child labour, particularly in the agricultural sector, remains a significant challenge across West Africa. Agriculture accounts for a substantial share of child labour globally, and our region is no exception.
“Children work long hours under hazardous conditions, depriving them of their right to education, health, and a childhood free from exploitation,” she said.
The meeting, organised by ECOWAS in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation aimed to evaluate progress in combating child labour and strengthen regional strategies to address the issue.
Onyejeocha commended the efforts of ECOWAS, the ILO, and other partners involved in the Action Against Child Labour in Agriculture in West Africa (ACLAWA) project.
She also stressed the need for a sustained and coordinated approach to tackle the root causes of child labour, including poverty, limited access to quality education, and weak enforcement of labour laws.
Forced labour, she noted, remains a pressing concern, as vulnerable individuals are often coerced into exploitative conditions, perpetuating cycles of poverty and hindering national development.
In her remarks, the Director of the ILO Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and liaison office for ECOWAS, Vanessa Phala, revealed that 160 million children worldwide are still trapped in child labour.
“Today, we gather not only to review progress but also to align our strategies and reinforce our resolve in the face of evolving challenges,” Phala said.
“The latest global estimates show that 160 million children remain trapped in child labour, with Sub-Saharan Africa, including West Africa, bearing a disproportionate share of this crisis.”
Phala emphasised the importance of the ACLAWA project, which empowers local communities to combat child labour through the establishment of Community Child Labour Monitoring Committees that monitor, report, and address the issue at the grassroots level.
In a welcome address, the representative of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Alieu Touray, acknowledged the dire situation in West and Central Africa, where an estimated 30 percent of children are involved in child labour, working an average of 18 hours per week.
Touray urged ECOWAS member states to implement the newly adopted ECOWAS Regional Action Plan on the Elimination of Child Labour and Forced Labour (2022-2030), calling for stronger collaboration to reverse the alarming trend.
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Labour and Employment, has ratified key ILO conventions and established structures to address child and forced labour.
However, stakeholders agree that more needs to be done to eliminate child labour and ensure that children across the region can enjoy their fundamental rights and access opportunities for a better future.
[ad_2]