Nearly two-thirds of children in South Sudan are reportedly engaged in some form of child labor, a new report says.
The finding notes that the rates of this reach as high as 90% in the country's hardest-hit regions. The latest report, known as the National Child Labour Study, was published on Friday after surveying more than 418 households across seven different states.
South Sudan's Child Labor Problem
It was found that 64% of the children who live there, who are aged between five and 17, are "trapped" in forced labor, sexual exploitation, theft, and conflict. The findings also reveal a crisis that is much more complicated than poverty alone, and is exacerbated by relentless flooding, the spread of disease, and continued conflict.
Near the border with Uganda, in Kapoeta South, the report notes that nine out of 10 children are working in gold mining, pastoralism, and farming instead of going to school. Additionally, in the nation's southwest Yambio region, a similar situation was seen, as local conflict and child marriage force kids into labor, according to Aljazeera.
The report found that children in South Sudan typically begin with simple jobs before being put into increasingly dangerous and exploitative work. Roughly 10% of the households that were surveyed reported involvement with armed groups, particularly in Akobo, Bentiu, and Kapoeta South counties.
It was also noted that the types of exploitation of children varied by their gender, with boys being more likely to work in dangerous industries or join armed groups. On the other hand, girls were faced with forced marriages, household servitude, and sexual abuse.
What Officials are Doing
The children surveyed also reported having been involved in a wide variety of tasks, such as cattle herding, farming, brickmaking, and street vending. The report noted that caregiver awareness did not guarantee protection for the kids involved, as more than 70% of those involved in hazardous work come from households where caregivers were aware of child labor laws, Radio Tamazuj reported.
Now, the Undersecretary at the National Ministry of Labor in South Sudan, Deng Kenjok, said that the full implementation of the 2017 Labor Act of the 2009 Child Act will have a crucial role in curbing the worst forms of child labor across the country.
He revealed that the launch of the child labor report represented a renewed determination to protect kids in the region from exploitation. Kenjok added that it reflects the need to build lives for kids whose hopes are hindered by hardships, such as poverty, displacement, and lack of access to education, as per the Sudans Post.
