CHILD LABOUR!!!

BY ALUSINE FULLAH

For the March edition, my opinion piece was based on women, but for this April edition, I have taken a paradigm shift by looking at child labor. To be frank, I am a real victim of child labor. I tasted it when I was 10 years old. Honestly, it was totally bitter for me to cope. Child labor has existed since Adam’s days. A child should not be subjected to work at the expense of his or her education, feeding, and dreams.

Child labor robs minors of the opportunity to enjoy their childhood, go to school, and have a decent shot at success. Yes, it condemns them to a life of limited opportunities. It is, therefore, necessary to ensure that every child is protected and not exploited for cheap labor.

The Ministry of Social Welfare is fully charged with the responsibility of addressing the problems of children in Sierra Leone. According to Festos Komu Jenjen, a former advocate for children’s affairs in India, child labor is defined as the practice of exploiting children for financial gain. Some industries employ children to cut down on labor costs since their wage demand is low.

Apart from the above, international and national laws have totally condemned all forms of child labor. But first, let us start at the international level.

The International Labor Organization is among the international organizations that have totally condemned child labor. Under Article 7 of the International Labor Act, it vividly states:

Each member shall take all necessary measures to ensure the effective implementation and enforcement of the provisions giving effect to this Convention, including:

• Preventing the engagement of children in the worst forms of child labor;
• Providing the necessary and appropriate direct assistance for the removal of children from the worst forms of child labor and for their rehabilitation and social integration.

In the context of Sierra Leone, the Constitution of Sierra Leone in Section 19, Subsection (1) states:

“No person shall be held in slavery or servitude or be required to perform forced labor or traffic or deal in human beings.”

The Child Rights Act, 2007, which directly addresses children’s issues, has also given strong condemnation of child labor. Section 32 talks about the protection of children from exploitative labor.

• Section 32 (1) states: No person shall subject a child to exploitative labor as defined in subsection 2.
• Subsection 2 explains what exploitative labor is. It states: Labor is exploitative of a child if it deprives the child of its health, education, or development.

The Ministry of Social Welfare is responsible for empowering and transforming the lives of vulnerable or underprivileged persons and families, including young people, women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. In line with that, the ministry needs to do more in protecting these groups, especially children.

Apart from the Ministry of Social Welfare, parents and guardians should come on board in the fight against child labor.

A Personal Experience

In my community, Back of FBC Coldwater, child labor is as common as anything on earth. For the past years, I have remained silent simply because I thought that as the world moves toward modernity, people would stop inflicting labor on children.

As a citizen of Sierra Leone, I want YOU to JOIN me in the fight against child labor. Believe it or not, children are our leaders for today and tomorrow.

I have seen the agony that children go through in my community. Sometimes I quietly ask myself if their parents or guardians have human feelings. It is VERY RARE to see a child take his or her books to study. Not that they don’t want to do it, but simply because 24/7 they are seriously working or fending for their families.

It is really sad to see an eight-year-old child carrying a bag of cement. It is appalling to see a seven-year-old child serving as a breadwinner for a family of twelve. It pains me!

Moreover, as child labor continues to linger, it has shattered the dreams of many children.

At Ferry Junction, Bomeh, to be specific, I saw (while riding a Kekeh) the ordeal of a 12-year-old boy, Amidu Turay. These days, through no fault of his, Abass Turay no longer goes to school simply because of the excessive and relentless labor he endures daily.

He is among 20 workers, including women and children, who sweat it out every day at the quarry.

Abass’s frail and fragile frame exemplifies a significant form of child labor that many children in Sierra Leone suffer from every hour. In deep tears, Abass managed to mutter:

“Mr. Fullah, I really want to go to school, but I am totally subjected to physical labor. Before putting any food in my belly, each and every morning, my aunty always instructs me to fill three drums of water! It sometimes pains me when I see my mates clad in uniform, holding their bags with their lunch packs, heading to school every day. Our house is just a few meters from this quarry. In some cases, to make ends meet, I wake up at around 5:30 AM. Without even washing my face, let alone asking for breakfast, I take my tool bag, carry it on my head, and walk to the quarry. I am the breadwinner for my family.”

He aims to become a journalist. He admires Umaru Fofonah.

Thank you for reading! If you have any questions, concerns or wants a promotion, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Follow us on All Social Media Platforms

• YouTube
• Facebook
• X