Survey highlights rising child labour in refugee and Busoga communities

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A new survey conducted across refugee-hosting districts and the Busoga sub-region has revealed the growing risks of child labour among Uganda’s most vulnerable communities, prompting renewed calls for collective action.

The findings, presented in a policy brief launched by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Kampala, cover districts including Adjumani, Kamwenge, Lamwo, Luuka, and Kamuli. The brief highlights not only the scale of the problem but also the pathways toward practical solutions.

“Child labour violates children’s rights. It harms their physical and mental health and disrupts their education, the brief sheds light on the urgent challenges, and more importantly, the practical solutions needed to end child labour—particularly among refugee populations, vulnerable host communities, and in the Busoga region” said Adrian Franco Chitanana, LWF’s Country Representative

According to the survey, between 2022 and 2024, LWF reached an average of 400,000 children annually, including more than 300,000 refugee children.

Of these, over 80,000 children each year received targeted child protection support such as case management for unaccompanied minors, alternative care, and community-based assistance.

In the Busoga region, a dedicated project removed 921 children from child labour, reduced household reliance on child labour from 94% to 45%, reached 37,675 youth with awareness campaigns, and engaged nearly 10,000 schoolchildren through child rights clubs.

Refugees and Busoga at the centre of the crisis

Uganda hosts more than 1.9 million refugees, the highest number in Africa, 79% of whom are women and children. With dwindling humanitarian funding, refugee children are increasingly forced into exploitative work to help families survive.

Meanwhile, in Busoga, chronic poverty and the expansion of sugarcane farming are driving children out of school and into plantations. Families that have sold or rented out their land to out-growers find themselves with limited livelihood options.

Between 2022 and 2024, LWF reached an average of 400,000 children annually, including over 300,000 refugee children. Support ranged from gender-based violence prevention and psychosocial services to education, shelter, cash transfers, and livelihood opportunities for youth.

On specific child protection indicators, more than 80,000 children each year benefited from case management for unaccompanied and separated minors, alternative care placements, and community-based support systems.

With support from the European Union and Bread for the World, and in partnership with AWYAD, LWF has since 2023 implemented a child rights project in Kamuli, Luuka, and Mayuge districts.

The initiative, focused on agricultural value chains, has already removed 921 children from child labour, cut household reliance on child labour from 94% to 45%, and provided child rights awareness to 37,675 youth. Nearly 10,000 schoolchildren were engaged in child rights clubs, while 500 learners received scholastic materials.

Government commitment

At the launch, Davinia Esther Anyakun, Minister of State for Labour, Employment, and Industrial Relations, reaffirmed government’s dedication to eliminating child labour.

She cited Article 34 (4) of the 1995 Constitution, the National Child Labour Policy (2006), and the National Action Plan (2021–2025) as frameworks guiding action.

“The prevalence of sugarcane out-growers has increased the demand for child labour, compelling parents to sacrifice their children’s education in the struggle for survival, ” she said, emphasizing the need to update policies to reflect agricultural and refugee contexts.

“Eliminating child labour is not just about enforcing laws but tackling poverty, ensuring education access, and strengthening livelihoods,” she added.

Uganda has also allocated sh2b in the 2025/26 national budget to combat child labour, following recommendations under the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review.

Despite progress, both government and partners admit child labour remains a persistent threat. LWF and the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development jointly appealed for stronger collaboration among government agencies, civil society, the private sector, and local communities.

“We must take bold, coordinated action—strengthen laws, expand education and social protection, and work together to tackle the root causes and eradicate child labour for good,” Chitanana added