WHAT IS CHILD LABOUR?

Child labour is not a recent phenomenon, but in recent time It has been recognised as a developmental and ethical challenge and has garnered global attention, especially because of its widespread and how vulnerable children are, according to ILO, 60 % of child labourers work in agriculture, livestock to mention a few. (ILO, 1996). 

In Nigeria, the high rate of child labour cannot be over looked, with an estimate of 8.7 million child labourers according to the bureau of statistics as at 2019 with a lot of them in Agricultural sector with  60 %  of child labour involved.( FMANR , 2006). To understand Child labour, you need to understand whoa child is .

Conceptual clarification 

Child

There are several definition of who a child is, it has been undergoing changes and transformation in definition and to a large extent there is no absolute definition. According to the section 25 of the children and young person’s ordinance of 1943, sees a child as a boy or girl under fourteen ( Aderinto S. 2012 p 243) 

Another definition of a child is someone or an individual under the age of 18 years age. (Ogunleye K Y., Yekini O.T and Adebo A.A.  2007. P62). In relation to this work a child is someone who is below the legal age of 18 years.

Child Labour  

There is no precise and widely accepted definition of the term child labour, thus, the definition varies from one country to another, but some scholars have seen Child labour as the exploitation of children from enjoying their basic human right. It is also referred to as a working child who has been engaged for income generation. 

Historically child labour is seen as   the practice of having children for economic activities. The term child labour has two perspective, namely economic practice and social evil and exploitative. From the economic practice perspective, child labour is “ admission  to work or employment of  children in economic activities  with the aim of increasing income for their family”   while the social evil and exploitativeview sees it as a negative social construct that exposes children to working employment that is hazardous,  and disadvantageousto a child’s  physical and mental development. ( Momen N. 2020, p1-3)

This work adopts the UNICEF features of child labour as its yardstick for definition, This is that child labour is any job that is full time, that puts social and  phycologicalpressure in performing them which involves horrible situation, insufficient wage,  extreme  responsibility that destroys the dignity and self confidence of a child, that prevent a child from going to school and is exploitative and affects all round development of a child. 

In conclusion, the prevalence of child labour is a challenge  to development  around the world, this paper has given an overview of the concept of child and child labour.

For reference purposes: Kadishi Oliseh. 2024. Child Labour and Cassava Farming in South
Western Nigeria 2004- 2021 in Oladejo M., Adetutu S. and Omobowale M. CHILDHOOD IDENTITIES AND WELLBEING IN NIGERIA:BEING, BELONGING AND BECOMING. IBADAN: SCaRPE-A. Pp 40-48

This work was presented at the national conference convened by SCaRPE-A Nigeria held at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, on March 28, 2024. Theme of the conference CHILDHOOD IDENTITIES AND WELLBEING IN NIGERIA:BEING, BELONGING AND BECOMING.

Paper found in Chapter five: Child Labour and Cassava Farming in South
Western Nigeria 2004- 2021

For full paper : https://coeidentities.mak.ac.ug/sites/default/files/2024-03/SCARPE-A-NIGERIA-NATIONAL-CONFERENCE-BOOK-OF-PROCEEDINGS.pdf