ANPPCAN Advocates For Total Elimination Of Child Labour, Demands More Support To Child Labour Free Zones In Uganda

Child labour” is often defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development. It refers to work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children; and/or interferes with their schooling by: depriving them of the opportunity to attend school; obliging them to leave school prematurely; or requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work.

In 2022 Uganda made advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of labour .However th registered progress keeps on flactuaing despite existing laws that prohibits employment of children in hazardious workincluding working in dangerous areas like stone quarries,collecting scrap, working in mini bars ,domestic work among others.

its against this background that civil socierty organisations like African Network for the Prevention and Protection Against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN) are now appealing to government to Increase resources to Child labour free zones which they say have been tried and proven to be the best solution to child labour.

According to the Exacutive Director ANPPCAN Ally Ignatius Nuwoha, Child labour free zones have worked even in thirdworld countries and it is working well in India.

Child labour free zones (CLFZ) are geographical areas where all children are systematically being withdrawn from labour and (re)integrated into formal, full-time schools. In Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Ghana and Morocco child labour free zones have been established and in Mali, Senegal and Burkina Faso preparations have been made for the implementation of child labour free zones

Hwever,Ignatius Nwoha says that this takes mind set and also puting together concetrated efforts as well as positive attitude.