GOVERNMENT SHOULD SUPPORT EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE CHILD LABOUR.

By Allan Ntana.

 

The organizational efforts toward elimination of child labour seem to be increasing as child involvement escalates in various economical activities as the drive of cheap labour in cultivation particularly in tobacco growing. Even though, the situation is still alarming because many of these cultivators are still poor and yet have no modern agricultural means something which leads to poor farming.

 

For this extent the government in collaboration with organizations, partners and other stakeholders should support all efforts towards culmination of child labour. The main goal being to improve livelihood of people, as a way forward to eradicate poverty and vulnerability facing most of the families as this is the ‘root cause’ of child involvements in hazardous works.

 

This was highlighted by the participants of the bi-annual meeting of PROSPER National Advisory Committee held at White Sands Hotel in DSM this week, whereby all participants argued that the governments should be ‘a pattern and parcel’ for all efforts towards elimination of child labour. 

 

When addressing the meeting, Mr. Bahati Nzunda, PROSPER project Director, said that they have met purposely to share experiences on child labour issues and how immense it is in the community of tobacco growers, so as to accelerate their efforts.

 

Mean while Mr. Nzunda added that many government officials have very little understanding on child labour issues and how big is the problem in some areas, apart from that some of them can’t even distinguish what a child should do and what should not.

 

 Mr. Nzunda clarified that PROSPER project has made significant contribution to the elimination of child labour in tobacco growing areas in Sikonge and Urambo districts in Tabora region, where by some of the children who had not gone to school have been sponsored and taken back to school, district coordinators, community activists and village child labour committees have been formed and trained to work hand in hand with villagers so as to withdraw children from hard labours..

 

Mr. Nzunda added that this exercise has been so successful because a child  who had lost his  right to education secured it, and some of those who had completed primary education were set for ‘modern agricultural training’, and  the groups of women were hardly given ‘entrepreneurship skills’ so as to improve their well-being. 

 

‘‘…..we ask for the government support so as to heighten our efforts, I believe,  it’s possible and  we can succeed, we need to have a lot of  awareness’’ said Mr. Nzunda  

 

PROSPER project, Policy Manager, Ms. Mary Kibogoya said that the problem of child labour is escalating and poverty of many families is its ‘root cause’. Something which impels many children to join their fellow in tobacco farms from different localities, most of them being from Kigoma, Tabora, Singida, Katavi and Rukwa. 

 

Ms Kibogoya added that through that meeting every participant will be encouraged to take on so as to mainstream the whole process of elimination of child labour and will also enable them to know and share with other partners on what should be done towards abolition of child labour in Tanzania .

 

Speaking in a meeting Ms. Cindy Serre, ECLT-Project Manager from Geneva, Switzerland, who are  the financier of PROSPER project in Tanzania, showed the great hope on the outcomes of the meeting because every participant  shared his or her virtual experience  on the matter, hence came out with the whole picture on how big is the problem of child labour.    ‘‘…… we need to share with the government and other companies on what should be done…. also we need to find the 'route cause' of the problem hence develop the model,’’ she said.  

 

Winrock International, Senior Program Officer, Ms. Vick Walker from USA , said that child involvement in tobacco farms is very dangerous and is highly prohibited everywhere in the world. She added that Winrock International works in collaboration with other organisations and volunteers who deal with agricultural activities for the sake of  improving the well-being of farmers and their children.

 

The participants of this meeting were; PROSPER project Director, Mr. Bahati Nzunda, Policy Manager, Ms. Mary Kibogoya and other delegates from Prosper project; Others were ECLT-Executive Director Ms. Sonia Velazquez, ECLT-Project Manager Ms Cindy Serre, Winrock International-Senior Program Officer Ms. Vick Walker, ILO  representative Ms. Noreen Toroka,

 

Others were; Government officials who represented different Ministries, Dr. Mtiba-from Tabora Regional Commissioner’s office, Urambo District Council Chairman,  Mr. Adam Malunkwi, Managers and other Officials from various institutions and tobacco companies in Tabora region.