Child Labour Concerns
The Nigerian federal government estimates that over 43 percent of children aged 5 to 11 years are involved in economic activities, including the worst forms of child labor. Hazardous conditions like quarrying granite, artisanal mining, and commercial sexual exploitation are among the activities identified.
World Day Against Child Labour (WDACL) Commemoration
The 2023 WDACL theme, “Social Justice for All. End Child Labour,” calls for international action to achieve social justice and eliminate child labor. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment emphasized the government’s commitment to eradicating child labor and the importance of collective action.
Government Initiatives
The Nigerian government has taken various measures to combat child labor, including the adoption and ratification of ILO Conventions, the enactment of the Child Rights Act, and domestication of the act by all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Other interventions involve the development of a Child Labour reporting app, the establishment of steering committees at the national and state levels, and efforts to address poverty, cultural factors, and inadequate social protection systems that contribute to child labor.
