Namibia has about 534,000 children out of a population of about 2.5 million.
The survey that puts the age of the children between six and 17 also lists private households, mines and fisheries.
A 2014 Labour Force Survey done by the Namibia Statistics Agency says 16,276 children (2.3 percent of Namibia’s total labour force of 712,752) aged between 15 and 19 years were working in private households, agriculture, wholesale and retail.
Most of those who are subjected to child labour also do not attend school. The survey found that about 50,000 children, mostly from rural areas, were affected.
The largest number of children subjected to child labour are girls, with the 2010 statistics showing that there were 167,973 females compared to 156,883 boys.
Industrial relations deputy minister Alpheus Muheua confirmed the figures Monday.
Muheua said the Labour Act clearly verbalizes that nobody may employ a child under the age of 14 years, while children aged 14 but younger than 16 years of age may be employed.
“However, such children must be protected from economic exploitation and must not be employed for (a position that is) hazardous, interferes with their education or is harmful to their health or physical mental, spiritual, moral or social development,” he said.
The deputy minister further said that the law says in the case where children aged 14 and below 16 are employed, they should not be made to work during the night or work underground.
“Any person found guilty of employing children in violation of these provisions of the Labour Act faces a maximum fine of 20,000 Namibian dollars (about 1,500 U.S. dollars) or imprisonment of up to four years or both,” Muheua said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua
