Lilongwe in fight against child labour
Lilongwe District Council plans to establish child labour committees in all traditional authorities (T/As) in the district to increase awareness on the effects of child labour.
Speaking during the district’s commemoration of World Day Against Child Labour, which was jointly held with the Day of the African Child at Chowo School in T/A Chitekwere’s area in the district, Lilongwe district labour officer, Chiletso Mbewe, said the committees would help in the fight against child labour in the district.
She said, through the committees, people will be equipped with knowledge which would enable them identify child labour cases and report anyone engaged in the malpractice to relevant authorities.
According to Mbewe, only Chief Chimutu’s area in the district has a vibrant child labour committee which was initiated by the Achieving Reduction of Child Labour in Support of Education (Arise) project which is working in the area.
“Apart from forming child labour committees, we will also intensify our routine child labour inspections which are currently done quarterly due to resource constraints.
“We plan to be doing them every month depending on the availability of resources,” said Mbewe.
She explained that it is only when the communities are sensitised that they can understand child labour and its effects.
Mbewe described as worrisome the fact that a lot of people in the district are still employing children as evidenced by a recent survey which was done in 10 villages in T/A Chimutu’s where it was discovered that 95 out of 115 sampled children were engaged in child labour.
Most of the children engaged in child labour are said to be girls, according to Mbewe.
At the same event, district social welfare officer, Jean Nthengwe, expressed concern with the increasing number of girls who are dropping out of school to get married.
She said the situation has compelled her office to conduct sensitisation campaigns to parents and guardians on how best they can raise their children.
“We have community child protection workers at T/A level who are in direct contact with parents, guardians and the children themselves where parenting lessons and counselling sessions are held,” said Nthengwe.
She said the sensitisation meetings are having a positive impact as so far over 50 children from the district have been withdrawn from early marriages.
Lilongwe City Council vice-chairperson, councillor Halima Issat, appealed to people not to allow any child drop out of school as stipulated in the Education (Amendment) Act 2013 which says any child should be able to access education.
Issat further said early marriages are a threat to the country’s development and urged parents and guardians to take a leading role in putting them to an end.
World Day Against Child Labour and Day of the African Child are commemorated on 12 June and 16 June respectively.—Mana
