The Development of Child Labour in Africa:Causes, Implications and the Way Forward

The paper examines child labour in Africa in the context of its rising incidence and implications globally. After a very careful historical review, the paper finds that child labour as a form of exploitation and deprivation of children was minimal in the pre-colonial African society. Conceptually, it was a form of education meant to equip children with societal values. However, the planting of colonial rule in Africa brought about an economy that laid the necessary conditions for child labour; in agriculture, extractive and services sectors. Today, the rising incidences of child labour in Africa are due largely to the high prevalence rate of poverty, capitalist values, disease, corruption, etc. Based on investigation of the situation in selected African countries, the paper suggests appropriate government policies, propelled by practical actions to ameliorate abject poverty, corruption and disease.