Child labour in Lesotho
Encyclopedia
Significant levels of child labour appears to be found in Lesotho
. The 1997 Lesotho Labour Force Survey
found that 4.6% of males who were working full-time, 14.1% of males who were working part-time and 1.3% of male job seekers in Lesotho were aged between 10 and 15 years. Many of these would have been involved in herding and those with part-time work were not necessarily earning an income but may well have been working on family land in subsistence agriculture (i.e. they were economically active but not earning an income).
Boys are most likely to be engaged in paid work, usually herding. Girls who are paid are primarily engaged in domestic work. It is likely that both boys and girls are engaged in seasonal agricultural work across the border in South Africa, but no data on the extent of this phenomenon is available.
Lesotho is in the process of formulating an Action Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (APEC), with the assistance of the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) programme Towards the Elimination of the worst forms of Child Labour.
A Programme Advisory Committee on Child Labour (PACC), representing government departments, organised labour and business, and civil society guides the development and implementation of the programme.
The different elements of process are described in this article.
Lesotho ratified both the ILO Minimum Age Convention (C138) and the ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
(C182) in 2001. In addition, the country has also ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
in 1992 and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child
(in 1990).
Lesotho’s Labour Code is the principal law governing employment-related matters in Lesotho. This law defines a “child” as a person under the age of 15, and a “young person” as a person over the age of 15 but under the age of 18.
Lesotho
Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over in size with a population of approximately 2,067,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name...
. The 1997 Lesotho Labour Force Survey
Labour Force Survey
Labour Force Surveys are statistical surveys conducted in a number of countries designed to capture data about the labour market. All European Union member states are required to conduct a Labour Force Survey annually. Labour Force Surveys are also carried out in some non-EU countries. They are...
found that 4.6% of males who were working full-time, 14.1% of males who were working part-time and 1.3% of male job seekers in Lesotho were aged between 10 and 15 years. Many of these would have been involved in herding and those with part-time work were not necessarily earning an income but may well have been working on family land in subsistence agriculture (i.e. they were economically active but not earning an income).
Boys are most likely to be engaged in paid work, usually herding. Girls who are paid are primarily engaged in domestic work. It is likely that both boys and girls are engaged in seasonal agricultural work across the border in South Africa, but no data on the extent of this phenomenon is available.
Lesotho is in the process of formulating an Action Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (APEC), with the assistance of the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) programme Towards the Elimination of the worst forms of Child Labour.
A Programme Advisory Committee on Child Labour (PACC), representing government departments, organised labour and business, and civil society guides the development and implementation of the programme.
The different elements of process are described in this article.
Lesotho ratified both the ILO Minimum Age Convention (C138) and the ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
The Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, known in short as the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, was adopted by the International Labour Organization in 1999 as ILO Convention No 182. It is one of 8 ILO fundamental...
(C182) in 2001. In addition, the country has also ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
Convention on the Rights of the Child
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is a human rights treaty setting out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children...
in 1992 and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child
African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child
The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child was adopted by the Organisation of African Unity in 1990 and was entered into force in 1999...
(in 1990).
Lesotho’s Labour Code is the principal law governing employment-related matters in Lesotho. This law defines a “child” as a person under the age of 15, and a “young person” as a person over the age of 15 but under the age of 18.