In many developing African countries, you see them in the midst of the long and slow moving traffic jams, darting in between the rows of cars and brandishing various goods such as chilled sachets of 'pure water', bottles of water and various soft drinks, snacks and every possible item that an idle person stuck in a jam might think to purchase. Some bear only bottles of soapy water and a squeegee or a little rag, taking advantage of the frequent pauses in movement to quickly wipe off a driver's windscreen in exchange for a few coins.
As an onlooker, one might be full of wonder at parents that would let their young children work so hard and under such unpleasant circumstances. Indeed, one might be tempted to conclude that such children are likely to be orphans seeking to earn money to sustain themselves. However, many of these children have not only one but two parent families, and this desperate action is one of the many outward manifestations of a hidden Africa, tales that once told account for the choices of action that are often characterised as 'inexplicable' , 'brutal' or even 'cruel' by the rest of the world.
The Care of Children During Childhood
Every species of animal on Earth possesses the instinct to provide for and protect their offspring for a period of time that's equivalent to a childhood. During this time, they learn the skills and abilities that equip them to survive independently in the world. In humans over the past centuries, advances in research as well as increasing civilisation and development have led to the development of accepted norms of adult behaviour with regards to the care of children who have been entrusted to them. It is important for children to be nurtured and supported as they learn the required skills and abilities.
In many countries worldwide, children are forced to engage in what has come to be termed 'street hawking' in an effort to earn sufficient funds for themselves or family maintenance. Following the example of developed nations, developing countries have chosen to introduce legislation that bans child labor in a bid to improve child welfare.
The current consensus in research and literature is that the nature of the policy arrangements in any given nation depends on the child labor arrangements that are common as well as the capacity of the country in question. Furthermore, while there is a need for suitably directed policy, this on its own, will be ineffective if it's not accompanied by significant changes in specific contextual circumstances which serve to encourage the problem.
One could therefore conclude that to effectively target the problem of street hawking and other forms of child abuse within any nation, there is a need to develop an understanding of the cultures and economic situations within which such abuse exists.
The African Street Hawker
In attacking the problem of child labor, there is a problem with the exact definition of a 'child.' In many Western societies, definitions usually incorporate chronological age however, in many other societies, other social and cultural factors play an important role. As a result, there can be vast differences in perceptions across different countries. While on one end of a spectrum any form of work for young persons would be viewed as child labor, in other communities, child work might be viewed as part of a valuable socialization process. This is a view that is prevalent in many African countries. It might therefore be helpful to include the term 'exploitative' as a characteristic of work that can be termed as child labor.
In addition, while many western societies are characterized by well-developed and relatively effectively implemented social systems which are developed to monitor and look after the interests of the child, many developing countries do not have such systems. In their place are well developed extended family systems whose effectiveness at providing rounded care for children is often dependent on their socioeconomic status.
With increasing poverty and deprivation, many poorer African families find themselves in the position of finding it difficult to keep a roof over their head and food on their tables. In such circumstances, all family members tend to take part in different forms of economic activities in a bid to collectively earn sufficient funds to survive. This differs significantly from instances where children are exploited and abused as they are used for child labor but both are responsible for suffering on the part of the child.
The Way Forward
Africa is a continent characterized by a variety of cultures and belief systems as well as different socio-economic and environmental contexts. The development of solutions to pressing public problems need to be addressed while paying close attention to the specific contextual backgrounds within which such problems are occurring. Therefore, in the process of searching for solutions to the problem of child abuse and child labor, there is a need for relevant government, international and voluntary organisations to adopt a broad-based perspective rather than a pinhole view focused solely on the problem itself.
References
- Ebigbo, P. O. (2003) 'Street Children: The Core of Child Abuse and Neglect in Nigeria' Child, Youths and Environments 13(1).
- Grootaert, C. and Kanbur, R. (1994) 'Child Labor: A Review' World Bank Policy Research Working Paper No. 1454.
- Mbakogu, I. A. (2004) 'Exploring the Forms of Child Abuse in Nigeria: Efforts of Seeking Appropriate Preventative Strategies' Journal of Social Sciences 8(1): 23 - 27.
Olubunmi Aregbesola - I am a busy mother of three young children who is also working through a PhD in Health Care Management at the University of ...
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