As the world commemorates the World Day Against Child Labour on June 12th, 2025, the urgency to accelerate efforts to eliminate child labor has never been greater as the SDG 8.7 deadline approaches.
Uganda's Challenge
Uganda faces significant challenges with over 6.2 million children aged 5–17 engaged in work, and more than 1 million experiencing hazardous conditions. Agriculture, domestic work, mining, and informal trade are primary sectors of concern, particularly in Karamoja, Busoga, and Northern Uganda regions.
Implementation gaps persist despite legislative progress. The informal economy, representing 90% of child labor occurrences, remains largely unregulated. Economic pressures and post-pandemic challenges have intensified the problem.
PLA's Eight-Point Call to Action
- Strengthen legal frameworks banning hazardous child labor in informal sectors
- Expand child-sensitive social protection programs
- Increase labor and child protection officer staffing and resources
- Remove educational barriers and support alternative learning pathways
- Establish national case management systems for coordination
- Integrate child labor prevention into development planning
- Encourage private sector adoption of child-labor-free supply chains
- Build community legal awareness and challenge harmful norms
"Child labour is not inevitable; it is preventable. It is a choice society makes, and today, we call upon all of us to choose differently." — Grace Mukwaya, Executive Director
