ILO wants child labour reporting amplified in Africa, trains journalists

The African Regional Director of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Caroline Mugalla, has called on journalists to intensify efforts in reporting on child labour, emphasising the role the media plays in shaping the future of work and advocating social justice.

In her closing remarks during a regional training on child labour reporting held in Uganda, Ms Mugalla stressed the need for journalists to continue telling the stories of children involved in child labour, as many of them are unable to voice their struggles.

“We are talking about the future of work and social justice and the journalists are in a better situation to spread this message in the media. If the children are not going to school or getting the education they want, then the future of work is also compromised, because they are the future of Africa, and they represent the majority of people, so they should be given a chance to be children,” she said.

She stressed health risks associated with child labour, particularly in hazardous environments like mining, where children face long-term physical harm.

Ms Mugalla added: “You can imagine a child working in the mines, and what that would do to his body, his lungs, and his mental development. Such a child is already prone to health conditions from a young age and that will also affect the workforce as the child is a future of work.”

She therefore encouraged journalists to persist in telling these stories, highlighting how their efforts can create a ripple effect that reaches communities and policy-makers.

Focus areas

Facilitating the training, the National Project Officer for ACCEL AFRICA in Nigeria, Lydia Eke, explained that the project aims to accelerate action against child labour in global supply chains by working with institutions, governments, and the media.

She noted that the project’s focus is on sectors such as cocoa, tea, and small-scale gold mining in Nigeria, while also addressing other supply chains like cotton, tea, and coffee across participating countries.

“We cannot achieve the elimination of child labour by working with grassroots communities or institutions alone. journalists are key changemakers who can advocate for both top-level and grassroots action,” she emphasised.

She highlighted the journalists’ evolving understanding during the training, particularly the distinction between child labour and child work, and the adoption of ethical storytelling practices that protect the child’s interests.

Speaking on the role of journalists in combating child labour, the Evaluation Officer of ACCEL AFRICA, Angelica Monaz, reiterated the significance of journalists in the fight against child labour and how it is a shared responsibility.

“Journalists are the ones who will bring the information that perhaps we produce at the ILO to other actors, such as consumers, employers, governments, and even children,” she stated.

She expressed optimism about the training’s impact, emphasising that knowledge exchange among journalists would boost the efforts to address child labour.

However, she acknowledged the challenges posed by external factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which she noted had reversed some of the progress made in combating the crisis.

She also emphasised that combating root causes like poverty, lack of employment for adults, and insufficient education opportunities is important for the elimination.

“We need to involve all related stakeholders so that we all together can fight child labour,” Monaz concluded.

Child labour

In Africa, child labour remains particularly prevalent, exacerbated by factors such as poverty, lack of education, inadequate legislation, and sociocultural norms.

ACCEL AFRICA noted that the prevalence highlights the urgency of media advocacy in addressing the growing crisis.

According to ILO, statistics reveal that approximately 160 million children aged 5 to 17 are engaged in child labour globally, with 79 million of them involved in hazardous work as of 2020.

During the training, it was discussed how a larger family have a higher likelihood of child labour involvement and how systemic issues like poverty, weak enforcement of protective laws, and societal acceptance contribute to the problem.

The facilitators emphasised that understanding the child’s age, the nature of work, and working hours is essential when assessing child labour cases.

Journalists’ perspectives

Journalists who participated in the training shared insights on how the experience had reshaped their approach to reporting on child labor.

Alik Ponje from Malawi stressed the importance of incorporating a human face into child labour stories and the necessity of using accurate data and statistics to strengthen the narrative.

He believes integrating pieces of legislation and credible statistics is vital in crafting compelling child labor stories.

“Child labour can sometimes be a very sensitive issue, so when you don’t tackle it with relevant information, like the data, like using laws, whether they are for your country or international laws, you might end up presenting issues not in a very clear way,” he said.

Caroline Tomno from Kenya highlighted that her biggest takeaway was recognising the importance of letting children speak for themselves in stories, rather than having their voices overshadowed by adults.

She added that journalists need to be more consistent and strategic in packaging child labor stories, involving the children’s voices directly.

“We tell their stories through the perspective of their families, the mothers, the fathers, but going forward, and what I have learned from now on is that it is very important to give that child a chance to talk for themselves,” she stated.

About the training

The three-day training was organised by the International Labour Organisation through its “Accelerating Action for the Elimination of Child Labour in Supply Chains in Africa” Project which targeted 16 journalists from across the continent.

The journalists were drawn from Malawi, Kenya, Egypt, Ghana, Uganda and Nigeria with the aim to equip them to better understand the multifaceted nature of child labour and enabling them to craft more impactful stories that resonate with policymakers, communities, and the general public.