By a Correspondent
Organised business has warned that Zimbabwe will not eliminate child labour unless it confronts the deepening poverty and inequality forcing children out of classrooms and into workplaces.
Speaking at the National Child Protection Conference in Bulawayo, Employers’ Confederation of Zimbabwe (ECZ) Executive Director Nesta Mukwehwa said tackling child labour requires more than enforcing workplace regulations. She said government, employers and development partners must address the economic hardships driving vulnerable families to rely on children’s labour.
Mukwehwa said poverty remains the single biggest factor behind child labour, with many children compelled to work to help their families survive.
“We acknowledge that the root cause of child labour, especially in our country, is linked to inequalities and poverty at household level. Children are often driven into work because families are struggling to make ends meet,” she said.
She said employers, government and labour unions are working through tripartite structures to strengthen child protection policies, particularly in response to new risks emerging from the digital economy.
Mukwehwa noted that the recent adoption of the Platform Economy Convention at the International Labour Conference in June has prompted Zimbabwe to review its labour laws to identify policy gaps and assess the possibility of ratifying the convention.
She said the review could strengthen legal protections for children and other vulnerable groups as online work and digital platforms increasingly expose them to exploitation and abuse.
Mukwehwa also called for stronger social protection programmes to keep vulnerable children in school, questioning whether existing initiatives such as the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) are reaching all deserving beneficiaries.
Although some companies have introduced scholarship schemes to support disadvantaged learners, she said educational assistance alone cannot solve the problem while families continue to battle hunger and economic hardship.
“The child may remain in school, but if there is no food at home, they may still be pushed into work,” she said.
She also raised concern over rising teenage pregnancies and child marriages, saying community programmes supported through the National AIDS Council are already being rolled out in some areas to educate communities and protect vulnerable children.
Mukwehwa expressed hope that the initiatives would be expanded nationwide to reduce early pregnancies, end child marriages and ensure offenders are brought to justice.
The National Child Protection Conference brought together government officials, development partners, employers, labour representatives and child rights organisations to discuss practical measures to strengthen Zimbabwe’s child protection systems and improve the welfare of children across the country.
