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Combating child labour and HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa
Frans Röselaers. Director, International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC)
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The HIV/AIDS pandemic adds a new and tragic dimension to the worst forms of child labour. With the death of one or both parents from HIV/AIDS, millions of children have been orphaned. Millions more will be. Many of these children will find security in the households of relatives. Others, however, will drop out of school, looking for work to survive.
An especially harsh burden is placed on the shoulders of the girl-child, who often has to provide care and household services for the entire family. Even children cared for by grandparents or other relatives may have to work to assist guardians and siblings.
"Combating child labour and HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa: A review of policies, programmes and projects in South Africa, the United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia to identify good practices" by Bill Rau, is the first of a series of papers to be published by the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC)on the linkages between HIV/AIDS and Child Labour.
The report's full reference details are: - Paper No. 1; International Labour Organization, International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), July 2002).
This review of national HIV/AIDS and child labour policies and programmes, NGO projects, and community-based initiatives in three African countries, illuminates the harsh realities of the link between child labour and HIV/AIDS.
But the real value of the report lies in identifying the broad range of responses, large and small, to these intersecting issues. In South Africa, the United Republic of Tanzania and the Republic of Zambia, governments, employers, trade unions, and civil society groups at large, demonstrate that much has been learned about addressing HIV/AIDS and child labour.
From national policies to community-level interventions designed to withdraw children from life on the street, a growing number of good practices are worthy of closer study, further testing, and eventual replication.
A range of initiatives, from broad national policies and strategic frameworks regarding HIV/AIDS and child labour, to small local efforts by committed individuals and groups, are addressing the issue. All of these interventions contribute to an effective longterm response.
South Africa has well-developed policies and an active civil society. Programmes to serve children in both rural and urban areas are beginning to be implemented and require support by national agencies.
Zambia has numerous local-level programmes, many of them run by NGOs and faith-based organizations, to generate community involvement and support for children affected by HIV/AIDS, but as yet these are insufficient to meet the overwhelming needs of children, and lack overall guidance from national policies.
The United Republic of Tanzania's responses are also strongest at the local levels. Effective national policy and programme guidance is only beginning to emerge.
Subsequent papers will provide further qualitative analysis stemming from Rapid Assessments of these linkages from four southern African countries: the United Republic of Tanzania; South Africa; Zambia and Zimbabwe. Geneva, July 2001.
The Preface from the full document is available from Carol Lombard at:-
e-mail: [email protected]
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