Understanding and Addressing Domestic Child Labour in Tanzania

Abstract

The child labour phenomenon has obsessed with the international community for over half a century. The response has been through international instruments (binding and non-binding) as cardinal measures to placing obligations on states to implement domestic strategies to minimise and ultimately end child labour. This article focuses on domestic child labour, in particular the issues surrounding its elimination in the context of a developing country. An attempt is made to examine the factors underlying domestic child labour and the way they inform the entire process of ensuring its elimination. The author found poverty to be the major reason for domestic child labour. The main challenge in its elimination is the informality surrounding domestic child labour preventing it from judicial scrutiny. Moreover, the ignorance and fragility of domestic child workers turn them to be voiceless in horrible conditions ranging from overworking, underpayment and 'slavery'. The author concludes that a holistic approach should be adopted in ensuring domestic child labour is eliminated and the focus in developing countries should be in eliminating of poverty and ensuring basic education is accessible by all children old enough to be admitted to a school.