Nyarugenge: Stakeholders discuss ways to end child labour

By Felicie Tombola.

Stakeholders Nyarugenge district in Kigali city with a local child rights organization ‘Children’s Voice Today’ (CVT) have come up with discussions to end the worst forms of child labour that are still observed around communities.

During an extra-ordinary annual meeting that evaluates the status of child labour organized by CVT last week, the authorities in charge of social affairs from various sectors of Nyarugenge district as well as the friends of families brainstormed about this issue for further solutions to curb its trend.

The available cases as they mentioned include child involvement in sugar cane plantation and carrying heavy loads of bricks.

Some families who live in conflicts also were said to unlawfully send their children to beg and bring money and food commodities for the entire family while parents enjoy beer to return home drunk and aggressive against children.

Florence Gatete, the representative of family friends in Nyamirambo sector, Nyarugenge district said that family conflicts coupled with poverty are the main causes of child labour where children lose parental care, making it easy for people to exploit them.

“We follow on the cases daily and we try to talk to families of children about the consequences of worst forms of works among the underage children, we explain them what kinds of works should or shouldn’t be done by a child.” She said.

She said that joint efforts between parents, families, friends of families and local government can end the issue.

Jean Paul Ntawuyirusha, the in-charge of family development and child protection in Kigali sector said that sometimes parents play a big role in involving children in worst forms of works.

“If a parent can send a child to collect wastes of food stuffs that is called ‘Gusyaga’, it is a total loss of responsibility, when we find such cases we take a child and go to his/her parent together, sometimes parents blame children that they willingly go to look for money to buy donuts and children blame parents to leave them alone without food, so they go to look for money.” He said.

Ntawuyirusha advises parents to always leave food to children to ensure their safety at home.

“Parents should leave food to children to keep them safe at home. When a parent finds a child with money, he/she must ask where the money has come from and follow immediately to prevent child labour.” He warns parents.

He said that most observed children are involved in sugarcane plantations, clays companies and rice farms around Nyabarongo River and that they do not attend classes due to such works.

“From the discussions we have had with other stakeholders, we are going to take tangible measures with other sectors and cells’ authorities to find out solutions.” He said.

Samuel Murwanashyaka, coordinator of family development and child protection in Nyarugenge district said that there is a need for educating the community about existing laws where the gap is observed today.

“Laws should be explained to the community and their enforcement should take effect to reduce cases of child labour.” He said.

Innocent Ntakirutimana, Child Protection and Participation Programme Coordinator at CVT said that a big gap is found where children are involved in child labour and that it requires a safe strategy to move them from such activities without harming them.

He calls for government’s efforts to increase the budget dedicated to children welfare to help them enjoy their rights through a necessary protection.