Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Adajiesther
Published on 2024-04-18 21:26:52
According to the Nigeria Child Labour Survey 2022 conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), four out of every ten children in Nigeria are engaged in child labor. The report, launched in Abuja, revealed that 39.2% of Nigerian children across all age groups were involved in forced labor.
The survey found that child labor was prevalent in the country, with children aged five to 14 years accounting for 39.7% of instances, and those aged 15 to 17 years accounting for 37.3% of minors in forced labor. The data showed that child labor was more prominent in rural areas, with 44.8% of children engaged in labor compared to 30.0% in urban areas. Additionally, 62.4% of children aged five to 17 years in Nigeria lived in rural areas.
The report highlighted that the South-East and North-East regions had the highest incidence of child labor, with rates of 49.9% and 49.4% respectively. It also pointed out that child labor was more common in poorer households, especially those where the head had lower levels of education.
The survey revealed that nearly 94% of children engaged in the production of goods for personal use, while 24.2% were in paid employment, and 11.3% were involved in unpaid trainee work. It emphasized that child labor posed risks to children’s health, with 53.3% of children in labor exposed to workplace hazards and 16.3% having experienced direct injuries.
The NBS emphasized the importance of identifying areas with high prevalence of child labor to guide interventions aimed at addressing the issue. Vanessa Phala, the Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, commended the report and stressed the urgency of taking decisive action to protect the rights and childhood of children in child labor.
After 22 years, Nigeria now has a comprehensive understanding of the state of child labor in the country. The report serves as a crucial tool for stakeholders to develop strategies to combat child labor effectively. It is evident that child labor is a serious issue in Nigeria, and concerted efforts are needed to eliminate this harmful practice and ensure the well-being of all children.
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