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KAMPALA - The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has asked Uganda to explain why child labour exists in the country despite being a signatory to the ILO conventions.

The Africa Regional Human and Trade Union Rights officer, Zakeyo Mutimtema, revealed that at this year’s meeting in Geneva, Uganda, will be tasked to explain the continued existence of child labour in employment.

“We have received reports of young children being employed knowingly that these children do not know their rights. They are taking advantage of the COVID-19 effects which forced schools to close for a period of time and some pupils dropped out of school,” Mutimtema said.

The Government of Uganda defines child labour as children aged 5-11 years engaged in any economic activity; children 12-13 years doing work other than light work beyond 14 hours a week or children 14-17 years involved in hazardous forms of labour or working for an equivalent of 43 hours or more in a week.

Uganda’s Child Labour Policy, 2006, the National Employment Policy, 2011, the Employment Act, 2006, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2006 and the Employment Regulations, 2011 all have provisions prohibiting child labour.

According to the UNICEF 18% of Ugandan children aged 5- 17 years are engaged in child labour. Three in four Ugandans aged 18-24 years experience at least one type of violence — physical, sexual or emotional — during their childhood.

But, in the coffee industry, children are involved in the coffee chains, stretching from Ugandan farmlands to processing plants for a commodity that ends up in fancy coffee shops in markets, according to experts.

Mutimtema said all countries who are signatories of ILO conventions are supposed to observe children's rights and ensure adherence to ILO standards.

He made the remarks during a press briefing during a legal clinic workshop to strengthen labour rights organised by the National Organisation of Trade Unions (NOTU) in partnership with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) at Hotel Africana in Kampala on April 12, 2024.

The workshop brought together key stakeholders from the NOTU leadership, affiliated workers unions, and Members of Parliament.

The primary objective of the legal clinic was to equip participants with comprehensive knowledge of relevant international labour standards and their implications on national legislation.

The Africa Regional Human and Trade Union Rights officer, Zakeyo Mutimtema remarks at the Legal Clinic workshop that aimed to strengthen Labour Rights. (All Photos by Wilfred Sanya)

This initiative is crucial given Uganda’s recent inclusion in the Committee of Experts; discussions regarding violations of the ILO Convention on Minimum Age, 1973 (No.138).

Members were advised to form an ILO supervisory system which will handle cases before the Committee on Freedom of Association (CFA).

NOTU secretary general Richard Bigirwa emphasised the importance of the legal clinic in light of recent developments in Uganda.

He said that the new leadership of NOTU will ensure that knowledge of fundamental labour standards reviews, amendments to labour laws and policies are handled for workers to enjoy their rights at their workplaces.

Bigirwa said the workshop exposed them to how to position themselves to influence and monitor fundamental labour standards.

The legal clinic was attended by a total of 25 participants and aimed to achieve several outcomes enhancing participants' understanding of international labour standards and improving on reports sent to the ILO Supervisory Mechanism.

The ITUC-Africa general secretary, Akhator Joel Odigie, said workers should promote decent work through the ILO supervisory mechanism as it monitors progress being made in implementing the ILO conventions.

He applauded the collaborative efforts, with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)-Africa for facilitating the legal clinic.

He said the legal clinic organised by NOTU signifies a proactive step towards ensuring the protection of labour rights and advocating for workers’ interests in Uganda.

According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) 2022, 14% of the children are engaged in labour. Since the lockdown, there has been around a 30% spike in child labour, mainly in the country’s coffee and tea value chain.

The children constitute 60% (25.2 million) of Uganda’s 42.9 million population.

However, 40% (6.2 million) of these are engaged in child labour. This excludes household chores, according to the UBOS report 2022.