Local governments of Masindi and Kiryadongo have been tasked to pass by-laws geared against child labor in tobacco growing.
Kiryandongo and Masindi districts are among the leading tobacco growers in the country and statistics show that majority of the tobacco growing households employ children.
According to findings by Platform for Labor Action, 90% of households growing tobacco in the two districts employ children.
The findings also show that currently 5.9% of the children between the ages of 4-9 years are engaged in tobacco growing and have dropped out of school.
67% of the children aged 10-14 years are engaged in tobacco growing and attending school at the same time.
This accounts for the high levels of school absenteeism and dropout in the two districts.
Platform for Labor Action in partnership with other development partners is implementing a project called Community Empowerment for Elimination of Child Labor in Tobacco.
The project has been implemented in the two districts since 2004 formally it was in Masindi district with Kiryandongo as a sub county before it was elevated to a district status about three years ago.
Lillian Nyesigire Mugerw, the executive director Platform for Labor Action says the project aims at reducing the incidence of child labor in Masindi and Kiryandongo districts by 3000 children by June 2012 when the project phases out.
The project also aims at improving national stakeholders’ knowledge on ways to address hazardous child labor in tobacco growing areas in Uganda.
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