THE OTHER SIDE OF CHILD LABOR: PLIGHT OF THE AFRICAN GIRL CHILD
According to International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor (IPEC), the term Child Labor 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
-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 exercising long and long work.
In 1990, the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of a Child which was ratified by 193 countries.
In 1999, the ILO led the Worst Forms Convention, signed by 151 countries, which prohibit the worst forms of child labor such as:
- Debt Bondage
- Child Trafficking
- All forms of Slavery or Slavery-like practices
- Forced Recruitment of Children in Armed Conflict
- Prostitution
- Production of Pornography
- Drug Production and Trafficking
- Any Hazardous Work.
More than 200 million children today are child laborers with an estimated 120 million engaged in hazardous work and 73 million of these children are below 10 years old. The highest number of child laborers is in sub-Saharan Africa.
Women and girls are often than not more vulnerable when it comes to certain issues. Poverty is a major factor that drives child labor in Africa. In poor families, child labor is a major source of income for the family and behold the girl child is prone to severe consequences:
Loss of Quality childhood. Every girl child should enjoy every stage of their development. A child should play with friends and make memories for a lifetime. A girl child forced to work miss out many of the good things associated with childhood. The African girl child playing and making memories is the strangest idea to some ears in the continent.
Victim of sexual abuse. The girl child is at a high risk of child sexual abuse. They are being victimized, assaulted and harassed sexually, at worst even rape and it is almost a cause of no concern.
Denial to explore their lives. Girls are taken out of school so early to work as child laborers to support their families rather than being allowed to achieve their full potential. In Africa, potentials of a girl child is a hilarious story.
More so, the girl child is a victim to sexually transmitted infections. This is almost the immediate consequence of sexual harassment. These young children are not just sexually violated, but are left to suffer with severe infections that if not treated leads to their premature death.
Illiteracy cannot be left out. The fact that this innocent girl is working in some factory or hawking, which in Africa is daily practice, rather than going to school, she has no hopes of broad opportunities, because she is not educated and has no qualification. At worst, she will end up doing absurd jobs that are only demeaning and degrading.
Mental trauma. The feeling of going to work under conditions which a child should not be placed under as opposed to getting education or playing and having amazing moments, is so traumatizing. Issues such as bullying and unfavorable working hours may result in mental trauma in these children because they cannot even handle these pressures.
Normalcy. The African notion of paid domestic labor considered as most suitable for girls stimulates the abuse of these young girls. The girl child working as a nanny is encouraged by her parents because they have structured her mind that it is her place besides over burdening these girls with house chores and taking care of their siblings is a normal routine.
A child should not be subjected to work at the expense of his or her education and dreams. Child labor robs the girl child of the opportunity to enjoy her childhood, go to school, and have a decent shot at success. It condemns the girl child to a life of limited opportunities. Many girls all over Africa suffer the triple burden of housework, schoolwork and work outside the home, paid or unpaid.
It is, therefore, necessary to ensure that every child is protected and guaranteed a beautiful future.
WELISANE MAAGBOR.
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