In Uganda, the goal of the project is to contribute to the elimination of hazardous child labour in tobacco-growing areas in Uganda.

The project achieves its goal by focusing on two distinct objectives. The first is that by the end of the project, the incidence of child labour in Masindi and Kiryandongo districts will have reduced by 3,000 children. The second is that national stakeholders knowledge to address hazardous child labour in tobacco growing areas will have improved.

Project in Brief

Background

According to the  2005/06 Uganda National Households Survey, there are an estimated 1.76 million 5-17 year-olds engaged in child labour in Uganda. HIV/AIDS affected and infected children, children from very poor families, orphans, and children with disabilities as well as children caught up in armed conflict are some of the most vulnerable groups. These children have very little chance of accessing education and are highly likely to be exploited in the labour market.

A baseline survey conducted by the Social Development Consultany (SODECO) in 2002 revealed that in the major tobacco-growing districts at least two children per family – aged  5-17 years – were employed in tobacco-growing. Boys are more likely to be working in tobacco fields and exposed to health hazards, tobacco fumes and toxic products, whereas girls are more often fetching water and undertaking similar activities. Child labour in tobacco-growing areas contributes on average about 25% of the absenteeism in primary schools in the area.  

Project Details

Immediate Objective 1
By the end of the project, the incidence of child labour in Masindi and Kiryandongo districts will have reduced by 3,000 children

The project focuses on a group of 3,000 targeted children, who have been identified from an earlier project. Through capacity strengthening, the project will ensure that communities and local government are better able to support these children. COMEECA is  developing a simplified child registration system to avoid an unnecessarily complex monitoring framework. Following registration, the data of the 3,000 children has been analysed and the results compiled  to be used for programming and advocacy.

By the end of June 2012, the project will have:

• Registered and analysed data for 3,000 targeted children ;
• Put in place an advocacy strategy;
• Disseminated the results of a Rapid Assessment (RA) on child labour in tobacco-growing areas in Uganda; 
• Reached 3,000 children from 15 schools and 6,000 community members and tobacco farmers with messages about the hazards of child labour;  
• Completed an independent final evaluation and shared lessons with national stakeholders.

Immediate Objective 2
By the end of the project, national stakeholders’ knowledge to address hazardous child labour in tobacco-growing areas in Uganda has improved

It is necessary to strengthen local capacity to identify and provide support to children in or at risk of child labour in tobacco-growing areas. Communities are not in a position to resolve alone the challenges set by eliminating child labour in tobacco-growing; national and local officials, NGOs working with communities, teachers and parents also need to have the adequate skills to support community action against child labour.

By the end of 2012, the project will have:

• Trained 24 staff of implementing partners (PLA, CODECA, Kyema College) on advocacy, programming and interventions in addressing child labour issues in tobacco-growing areas;
• Trained as trainers (TOT) 40 District and sub-county officials in the elimination of child labour in tobacco-growing areas. Issues covered will be child rights, child participation and child protection in the context of the elimination of child labour, and will deploy existing training materials such as ILO’s SCREAM documents. Those being trained include Community Development Officers, Labour Officers, School inspectors, Agriculture Extension Workers, teachers from teacher-training colleges, representatives from community-based organizations (CBOs), members of Parents and Teachers Associations (PTA)  and police officers;
• Trained three religious leaders, five cultural leaders, 300 Village Child Labour Committee (VCLC) in the issues listed above. This training will have been undertaken by the TOTs.  
• Trained 15 Child Labour Elimination Advocacy Network (CLEAN) members in the project area in advocacy techniques;
• Trained 106 teachers  from each of the 53 primary schools – one male and one female teacher – in the project area as well as 10 teachers and management staff from Kyema Vocational Training College;
• Had four district officials and two project Programme Managers  attend a specialised course in child Labour at ILO.