THE Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to eradicate child labour by 2025, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The government has also pledged to align its efforts with the globally adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, joining 193 United Nations (UN) member states in a collective commitment to combat modern slavery, human trafficking and the worst forms of child labour, including the use of child soldiers.
Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejiocha, stated this at the third National Children’s Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour, held in Abuja.
The minister expressed appreciation for the support of international partners, including the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the Government of the Netherlands and the United States Government, in the fight against child labour and forced labour.
She said, despite the challenges, Nigeria has made significant progress in addressing child labour, including the ratification of ILO conventions and the establishment of the National Steering Committee on child labour.
The minister acknowledged the alarming global statistics on child labour and forced labour but expressed optimism that with collective efforts, Nigeria can achieve its goal of ending child labour by 2025.
She said: “It is a global menace that has proven to potentially hinder the development of children, leading to a lifelong physical and psychological damage and keeping the children out-of- school, thereby perpetuating poverty across generations. To address this challenge, Nigeria has made giant strides, including the ratification of the ILO conventions 138 on the minimum age for work, 182 on the worst forms of child labour, Conventions 29 and 105 on the abolition of forced labour.
“In line with the conventions, Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended prohibits forced and compulsory labour for any employer, which also defines penalty fees, fines, imprisonment, or a combination of these sanctions for any employer found guilty.
“The review and validation of all relevant laws, regulations and policies that are key and instrumental to the elimination of child labour: the National Policy on Child Labour and the National Action Plan for the elimination of Child Labour for an implementation period of five years; the Compendium of Legal Framework on the elimination of Child Labour and Protection of children in Nigeria; the review of the labour standard bill to mainstream child labour, with special consideration on the adoption of 15 years as the minimum age for work/employment; the establishment and coordination of the National Steering Committee on Child Labour and the State Steering Committee on Child Labour across the 36 states of the federation.
“Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment is a Pathfinder Country of Alliance 8.7, committed to achieve the sustainable Development Goals, target 8.7, to end child labour in all its forms by 2025 and forced labour and human trafficking by 2030.”
The conference with the theme, ‘Let’s Act on Our Commitment: End Child Labour,’ brought together stakeholders from across the country to strategise and renew their commitment to combating child labour.
She said with the support of all, Nigeria is determined to ensure that every child has access to education and a safe and secure environment, free from exploitation and labour.
The ILO Country Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Liaison for ECOWAS, Vanessa Phala, praised Nigeria for taking steps toward the elimination of child labour.
“One good thing is that Nigeria is actively combating child labour. In 2003, Nigeria adopted the Child Rights Act to domesticate the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The country also launched the National Action Plan for the Elimination of Child Labour in 2021 and provided legal frameworks and roadmaps for its.
“Nigeria has ratified ILO Conventions 138 (Minimum Age) and 182 (Worst Forms of Child Labour), demonstrating its commitment to international standards in protecting children’s rights.
“Additionally, Nigeria collaborates internationally with organisations like the ILO and the US Department of Labour through programmes like ACLAWA (Action against Child Labour in Agriculture in West Africa), ACCEL and GALAB, to tackle the root causes of child labour through education and social protection initiatives.”
However, she said that “significant challenges remain at the global, national, state, local government areas and community level. The 2021 Global child labour report released by ILO and UNICEF indicated a global increased of child labour prevalence by 8.4 million to reach a staggering 160 million. This marks the first slowdown in global efforts against child labor in two decades, with Sub-Saharan Africa facing particularly daunting challenges.
“Of particular concern is the significant increase in child labour among children aged five to 11 years, now comprising over half of the global total. Additionally, the number of children aged five to 17 years engaged in hazardous work has risen. Globally, the agriculture sector accounts for 70 percent of child labourers, shockingly, nearly 28 percent of children aged five to 11 years and 35 percent aged 12 to 14 years in child labour are out of school.”
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