A report by the United Nations indicates there are 152 million children in child labour as at now even as the World celebrated the World Day against Child Labour.
The 2017 report by the United States department of labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs however indicated that Kenya has made moderate advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor.
It is on this basis that the Young Women Campaign Against Aids-YWCAA in collaboration with Gender Based Violence advocates in Mukuru slums held a sensitization event at Kano Grounds, Mukuru Kayaba Nairobi.
According to YWCAA Kenya must deal with those involved in child labour by first eliminating violence against women and promoting a violent free environment for vulnerable women, youth and children.
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Lynette Kitui a crusader against sexual gender based violence from Starehe Sub County said child labor and sexual violence are intertwined and it is upon parents to protect their children and be at the forefront in reporting cases of defilement especially among the children. This coming even as records from Mater Hospital indicates that 64 cases of child defilement were noted down.
Nairobi South Assistant Chief George Mose blames some parents saying they have been a source of violence to their own children especially in the slums.
“There are important documents like birth certificates for our children; we are doing them disservice as parents when we deny them an opportunity to acquire them while young hence expose them to child labour because nobody knows their age.” He added
He also urged parents not to expose their children to dangers for instance electric cookers, water heaters among others.
In the recent past the Government has so far established additional Child Protection Centers to provide housing, counseling, and reintegration services to rescued child laborers. This is in addition to free secondary education for all the children.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) launched the World Day Against Child Labour in 2002 to focus attention on the global extent of child labour and the action and efforts needed to eliminate it.
Each year on 12 June, the World Day brings together governments, employers and workers organizations, civil society, as well as millions of people from around the world to highlight the plight of child labourers and what can be done to help them.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by world leaders in 2015, include a renewed global commitment to ending child labour. This year’s World theme was “Children shouldn’t work in fields, but on dreams”.
