Govt Renews Push to End Child Labour as 6.2 Million Children Remain Affected

What the report says

Uganda’s government is renewing pressure for stronger action against child labour, slavery and trafficking after a national labour survey found that 6.2 million children aged 5 to 17 were engaged in child labour. The issue was raised at the 13th meeting of the National Steering Committee on the Elimination of Child Labour, held at Hotel La Vena in Seguku on Wednesday, according to Nile Post.

The Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Alex Asiimwe, said child labour harms national development by limiting children’s access to education, health and protection while deepening poverty and vulnerability. His message was delivered by Judith Auma, who manages labour inspections and enforcement at the ministry. Asiimwe urged committee members to review past progress, identify gaps and agree on practical steps with clear responsibilities and timelines.

He also called for stronger coordination between national policy and action at district, community and workplace levels, and stressed the need for responsible business conduct in supply chains. He said when child labour risks are found, the response should focus on corrective action and remediation rather than simply ending supplier ties or moving children into other forms of risky work.

Nile Post reported that the government plans to use the meeting’s recommendations to support review and implementation of the National Action Plan on the Elimination of Child Labour, covering 2020/21 to 2024/25. The broader context, including ILO and UNICEF figures cited in the article, is that child labour remains a major global problem, and Uganda’s challenge is linked to poverty, school access and vulnerabilities in agriculture and other supply chains.