Poverty And Hiv/Aids As Determinars of Child Labour in Uganda

ABST~~ The most recent study of child labour ~n Uganda of 2008 L~ Ugarda B ~reau of Statistics (UBOS) findings IDoint out several factors inrluding gerder. age parents education status, household income place of residence~ being an orphan, exposure to shocks and being internally displaced persons (IDPs) as determinants of child labour. The study fails to link child labour to poverty eradication and HIV. Hence, the study undermines both poverty and Human Immune Virus/Acquired immune~Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) as child labour causes. For instance, while it talks about household incomes as cause’s child labour, it does not link it to poverty despite being equipped with the World Bank’s definition of poverty of inability to earn at least US $1 per day. While the study points out that child labour are linked to region of origin, it does not link child labour to poverty. This study attempted to investigate two relationships: between Poverty child labour; and Human Immune Virus/Acquired immuneDeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and child labour, Poverty was measured as living in the rural areas (poor) and while being rich was approximated by living in the urban areas (rich) on one hand. Child labour was measured using the number of children below the age of 18 who were working. The data used was the Uganda National Household Survey (UNHS) 2005/6. The chi-square results indicate existence of a relationship between poverty and child labour but no similar relationship is found between HIV/AIDS and child labour in Uganda. The study made a contribution not only by linking child labour to poverty and HIV pandemic but also in methodology used in terms of adding new measurements and method of analysis not used in the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) study. The recommendations include 1) integrate child labour in development programmes, 2) making child memory books, 3) generate district child labour banks, 4) lobby government to increase government funding to the Ministry of GLSD, 5) Implement and enforce Child Labour Policy, 6)Enhance Child Participation in policy making, implementation and enforcement issues related  pregnancies.