Government, through the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development has inaugurated the National Steering Committee on the Elimination of Child Labour as part of efforts to tackle the problem that has been worsened by the #Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the Uganda National Household Survey 2019/2020, that 28% of children in Uganda are engaged in some form of child labour, with incidences of child labour increasing from 14% before the #Covid-19 pandemic struck.
The National Steering Committee on the Elimination of Child Labour is a key component of the National Plan on the Elimination of Child Labour that was launched by President Museveni during this year’s Labour Day Celebrations at State House.
Speaking during the inauguration of the Steering Committee, Mr Aggrey Kibenge, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, warned that the #Covid-19 pandemic crisis has pushed millions of vulnerable children into Child Labour.
“More vulnerable children are at greater risk of entering child labour especially in the agricultural sector whose activities were allowed to continue during the lockdown and closures of all educational institutions affecting approximately 15 million children,” Mr Kibenge said.
The Steering Committee will be tasked with: setting and developing policy priorities, guidelines, approaches and work programmes or sectors for the elimination of child labour; securing support and mobilizing resources for child labour programmes and ensuring effective coordination and liaison with all key stakeholders and partners
The Committee will also monitor all projects and programmes that are in in line with the elimination of child labour in the country while also harmonizing all activities in the country that are involved in the elimination of child labour
The Committee will be chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development with representation from the Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Local Government and Uganda Police, among others.
