An analysis on the “Incidence and determinants of child labor in Burundi” published in notebook no. 20 of the University Research Center for Economic and Social Development (CURDES) estimates that children aged 5 to 14 account for 3.5%. years old who have carried out an activity or service for remuneration. The rate is slightly different for girls and boys and higher in rural areas than in urban areas
In Burundi, 4.7% of children aged 5 to 14 engage in economic activity.
According to Prof.Salomon Nsabimana who presented the analysis during the month of May 2024, in Burundi, child labor is a reality. At the national level, he explains, 4.7% of children aged 5 to 14 carry out an economic activity.
For Prof. Nsabimana, the rural area shows a higher rate, i.e. 4.9%, than that of the urban area which is 2.4%.
“Regarding the relationship with the heads of household, the results show that in descending order servants, i.e. 79.8%, brothers and sisters, i.e. 18.9%, people not related to the head of household or his spouse, i.e. 13.9%, sons-in-law or daughters-in-law, i.e. 13.6% are the most involved in economic activities,” he explains.
Prof. Nsabimana points out that 3.5% of children aged 5 to 14 carry out an activity or service for remuneration. And to continue: “In rural areas, this rate is higher, i.e. 3.7%, than in urban areas where it is 1.8%. This rate is slightly different for boys and girls, respectively 3.8% versus 3.3%.
School, a place that should recover the child
Prof. Nsabimana explains that the place of children aged 5 to 17 is at school and not at work.
Furthermore, he insists, the age of the child, monetary poverty, the fact that the head of the household is a woman, the fact that a child is from a rural environment, children from families where the head of the household is not educated increases the probability of entering the labor market. Which reduces the chances of attending school.
Prof. Nsabimana affirms that children from poor households are more exposed to economic activities and have a low probability of being in school.
In addition, he continues, children in rural areas are more exposed to domestic and economic work than those in urban areas, but there is no significant difference with regard to schooling.
“On the other hand, compared to children from Bujumbura town hall, children from all other regions of the country are more exposed to domestic and economic activities,” he advises before specifying that children from the Center and East regions have less chances of attending school compared to those in the Northern region.
Children from the South, West regions and Bujumbura town hall are more likely to be in school compared to those in the North region.
Avoiding the worst forms of child labor
Prof. Nsabimana believes that taking into account what the child’s place should be, it is important that States implement action plans so that these children can be educated and are no longer forced to work.
This implies synergistic actions by States, supported by civil society and NGOs in order to provide access to education to all children, and to protect and defend children against all forms of labor exploitation.
This by prioritizing the socio-economic context, respect for the dignity and rights of the child.
On the occasion of the World Day Against Child Labor celebrated on June 12 2024, the United Nations announces that despite the significant progress that has been made over time in reducing child labor, global trends have reversed in recent years. Which highlights the urgency of accelerating actions aimed at its eradication once and for all and in all its forms. Now is the time to make the elimination of child labor a reality.
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